Penrith knew nothing less than a win would do against Malton and Norton' who are in the lower reaches of the table if they were going to keep up the pressure at the top end of the league. More important to them than that they wanted some payback for the 50 point defeat they had suffered at their hands earlier in the season.
As a result the home side started the game at a high tempo and looked to make some early inroads, the forwards went close with a drive from an attacking lineout and then they were almost rewarded when Jamie McNaughton made a clean break into the 22, with the fullback to beat he played the ball off but the pass didn't quite go to hand, the ball then ran invitingly free and an attempt to scoop it up on the run failed and the danger was over.
Further pressure from the Cumbrians did bring a penalty head on to the posts which Matt Allinson knocked over for a three point lead but then the pace rather went out of the home side's high tempo game. It was a cold damp day, the surface was sticky and a few error crept into their game. Odd handling error and then a number of penalties took the urgency and pace out of the game and allowed the visitors to get into the game and get their act together.
Malton then had a shot at goal which went wide and as time went on the conditions imposed themselves on the way the game was being played and it became more a war of attrition. Both side's defences had the upper hand and it became hard work for either attack to make much progress and clean breaks were few and far between.
The visitors levelled the scores with a penalty at the second attempt, the referee ordered the original attempt which went wide, to be retaken as there was a shout as the kick was taken. Half time came with plenty of endeavour being show but with very little to show for all the effort. Three points each at that stage was probably a fair reflection on what had gone on in the first 40 minutes.
The second half continued in much the same way with progress only being made with hard work, Penrith finally got themselves into a try scoring position when a midfield break by Allinson took play into the 22 and Lee Chapman was finally held up over the line and the ref awarded an attacking 5m scrum. The home side had had the better of the set scrums and went for the initial shunt but clearly weren't going to get a push over, Mike Raine then broke from No8 and was hauled down, there were a number of pick and goes before Dan Richardson muscled in and forced his way over. Allinson's conversion put his side seven points ahead and shortly after they went furter ahead. Again it wasn't very pretty and it was through the forwards who battled and battered till they got the better of their opposite numbers and this time it was Adam Howe who bulldozed over from close range.
The Yorkshire side then rallied and got themselves back to within a score with a try, again it was not pretty, they kicked their way into the home 22 courtesy of a penalty and then proceeded to mount an assault on the Penrith line, the home pack looked to have weathered the storm but the referee awarded another penalty which was quickly taken and the try scored.
There were ten minutes to go and only seven points in it but the Winters Park men soothed their followers nerves with a third try, Raine broke into the 22 from the base of the scrum, the ball was recycled and Ian McDowell chipped the rapidly advancing defensive line and put the ball in the corner. Jon Fell and Jay Rossi gave chase but the fullback was first to the ball which then ran loose, Fell was sprawled out on the ground but Rossi was able to gather it and spot it down in the corner for the critical score.
It was a hard fought victory and although not a thing of beauty it had been toughed out when things might have gone the other way and was a vital win. Things move on next week to replay of the game frosted off before Christmas against Driffield, they currently sit top of the table six points in front of Penrith having played two games more. Penrith also have to travel to Driffield in April so they must look to win their home game.