Penrith had one of their longest away trips last Saturday and expected a stern test at the end of it, last season Dinnington had run them close and they only scrapped a win with a try right at the death. This time after an initial burst by the home side Penrith had a reasonably easy time of it as the eight try win and scoreline suggests.
Dinnington had failed to register a victory in the first two games and came out like a side determined to put the record straight, they came hard at the Cumbrians in the early exchanges but came up against a wall of tacklers as the whole Penrith side stood their ground and in particular the diminutive Ross Jackson having his first game for the first team at stand off.
Despite this strong start the home side were the first to concede points, they were penalised at the breakdown following a clean break by Mike Raine from No8 and a strong run from Ben Littleton. Matt Allinson was faced with a difficult kick up the hill into the breeze but he made light of it and the kick sailed over.
Penrith had struggled in this game last season as they had conceded penalties at a suicidal rate throughout the whole game and they started in similar vein, the home side struck a penalty from distance on the wind but then gave Allinson another difficult chance when they were penalised at the restart. As Allinson put the kick over coach David Preston was on the field imploring his players to keep their hands off the ball and the breakdown and concentrate on their defence. By and large he got his message across and the team had a much more productive afternoon because of it.
The home side were still giving it their all and had a second penalty attempt that went wide but as the game went into the second quarter they ran out of steam and Penrith found it easier and easier to pick them off. Dinnington overthrew a lineout on half way and Jackson was sharp enough to win the ball and the forwards secured it at the ruck, George Graham spotted the lack of cover on the short side and put Olly Gutteridge away, he glided through a couple of tacklers and popped the ball back to Graham on the 22 who forced his way to the line. Allinson again put a testing kick over.
A second try came when strong direct running from the Penrith forwards, with Ryan Johnson and Josh Dowson to the fore, took play to the home line. First Lee Chapman then Graham drove for the line but it was Adam Howe who barrelled over from close quarters, again Allinson converted. Penrith scored a third try just before half time, Raine broke from a set scrum on the 22 and beat the first line of defence then almost went over in the corner but was hauled down just short of the line. The support arrived and by the time the ball was recycled Raine was on his feet and standing on the short side and made no mistake when Graham fed him the ball and he went over in the corner. Allinson completed his first half masterclass of kicking into the wind as he put the conversion over from the right touchline.
The home side had their best moment just before the break, hardly any of their players made any progress against sound Penrith tackling except their fullback who was probably the smallest player on the field, he was a real livewire and for once got the ball in space and scorched under the visitor's posts from distance.
Penrith turned round with a 27-10 advantage and also the slope and breeze in their favour and it was difficult to see how the home side could stage a comeback, that is how it worked out as they scored tries at regular intervals throughout the second period. Jamie McNaughton turned the ball over in midfield for the next score, Ian McDowell was able to put Dowson away who burst through the first line of defence and linked with James Reynolds who stepped inside the full back to score. The next try came when the home side overthrew a lineout in their own 22 and McNaughton went over from close range as Penrith took advantage and stormed the line.
Allinson claimed the next try after good work by Johnson and McNaughton and it was a team effort that secured the next score. The visitors kicked a penalty to the corner and set up a driving maul with the lineout ball, it was the younger of the Dan Richardsons that was in possession of the ball as they drove over the line for the try. The final score was a flowing move involving Jackson, Chapman and Gutteridge before McNaughton glided over for his second score.
This was an excellent win on the road and Penrith's third win out of three, it sees them at the top of the table as the only side to have won all three games but it is far too early to read anything into it. With two games with home advantage and an away win against a side without a win it gives a false impression, there will be much stiffer tests to come.