Huddersfield had ended Percy Park's unbeaten start to the season a fortnight before and just seven days before put a stop to Morpeth's unbeaten run and then came very close to doing the same to Penrith on Saturday. It was Penrith's sixth game and sixth win of the season but this was the most severe test they had had and Huddersfield YMCA were the best side they had faced this season by a distance, it's difficult to see how they have only won two games from six. They will upset a few of the better sides in the league as the season progresses.
The visitors made the better start to the game and caught the home side napping, if they were expecting an easy afternoon they got an abrupt wake up call, the Yorkshire outfit tore into them putting them on the back foot and took the lead in the first ten minutes. With the wind at their backs they kicked a penalty just a couple of meters into the Penrith half.
The Cumbrians were not long in striking back, Matt Allinson kicked a penalty into the wind just into the visitor's 22 to set up an attacking lineout. Ian McDowell found Dan Richardson and he broke through the lineout and was brought down 10 yards short, the rest of the forwards were in support and set up a driven maul which was brought down virtually on the line. The ball emerged and George Graham took advantage of there being no defender on the blindside and scored the easiest of tries, Allinson then hit a superb conversion off the touchline into the wind.
Penrith then had Graham to thank again as they doubled their score, Mike Raine broke from a scrum just into his own half, Graham then looked to make a break but instead popped the ball to McDowell at pace who broke the line. He made ground and then slipped the ball back inside to Graham who then had a clear run to the line and was able to keep ahead of the cover to score a good try.
Penrith had a handy 14-3 lead but this did not dent the enthusiasm or application of the visitors as they kept up the ferocity of their attacks and slowly reeled in the home side's lead, first with one penalty and then another. They had chance of a fourth penalty on the stroke of halftime and it was a shock to everyone when it went wide as the others had been hit with ease.
Penrith turned round 14-9 up and now had the wind at their backs but their task didn't get any easier as Huddersfield continued to impress. Both sides had chances, John Dent, on for the injured Raine, won lineout ball in the visitor's 22 and the Penrith forwards drove for the line, they got the ball over but were held up and then couldn't take advantage at the 5m scrum.
Back to the other end and the visitors laid siege to the Penrith line, they had used the wind very well in the first half and used rugby league type grubber kicks to good effect but it was to be their undoing. They tried to sneak the ball in behind winger Jamie McNaughton but it sat up nicely for him and from his own line, he launched a massive punt which wind assisted, finally came to rest just a foot or two short of the visitor's line. The cover got there first but could only scramble the ball into touch and Penrith had an attacking lineout.
The ball went to Richardson who made ground and then there were a series of drives as Graham organised his forwards. a Huddersfield boot then hacked the ball out of the ruck, which is now illegal and the referee awarded the penalty. Graham as sharp as ever had it taped and had driven over the line before the defence was organised. Allinson hit another difficult conversion from wide out and the home side had a bit of a buffer.
There was twenty minutes to go and Penrith had to defend stoutly to keep the visitors at bay as they continued to tear into contact and into the breakdowns. They eventually scored a close range try with ten minutes to go, the conversion slid wide so they were seven points in arrears as the clock ticked down.
Penrith had a chance to extend their lead when Lee Chapman did well to gather a charged down kick and make some ground before the visitors were penalised at the breakdown. They went for the kick at goal but Allinson's attempt drifted wide and they had to see out the last few minutes with their backs to the wall.
They defended bravely and saw off a spirited Huddersfield side who ran them very close and deserved, at the very least, the losing bonus point they got for only losing by seven points. If anyone was thinking they were going to run away with the league this should act as a bit of a wake up call with some harder games to come, only one of the six teams Penrith have played are in the top half of the table.