Penrith eased into their league season with a comprehensive win over
newly promoted Altrincham Kersal, it's far too early to read too much
into one win as as the relative strengths of the other teams in the
league are a bit of an unknown. It will soon become evident if a side
has been recruiting heavily but at this stage all you can do is beat
the team in front of you and that is what Penrith did without a great
deal of fuss.
The home side side made the same mistake as the week before and were
slow out of the blocks, unlike last week however they were not allowed
to drift along till half time. The constant chivvying of hooker Ian
McDowell and a big hit or two from Billy Barton got their team mates to
take a more positive attitude and the scoreboard was soon to reflect
that.
After a quiet start where their own mistakes kept them in their own
half the home side spluttered into life and on ten minutes won a
penalty head on to the posts on the visitor's 22. The defence were
waiting for the kick at goal and were caught napping, the obviously
haven't seen much of Steve Wood and when he chipped the ball to the
corner Mike Hawley was awake to what was going on and won the sprint
for the touch down. Wood converted from close to the touchline and if
the visitors hadn't seen much of him up to then they would be sick of
the sight of him as he ran the game and always had them on the back
foot. Altrincham had hit the post with a penalty shot before Wood
slotted one for a ten point lead.
It was all Penrith at this stage and strong running by Gary Hodgson,
Mike Raine and McDowell took play to the visitor's line, when the ball
came to Wood he had men over on the left and a miss pass to James Ellar
saw him round the defence and cross for the second try, again converted
by Wood.
Penrith were to add a third try before the break, it was created and
scored by fullback Ed Swale, he joined the line at pace, made ground
before chipping ahead and then won the race to the line, Wood's
conversion gave Penrith a 24 point half time advantage which they never
looked in any danger of relinquishing. Penrith started the second half
at a gallop, they won a lineout deep in the visitor's 22 and after
several phases of play ended up winning a penalty in the opposite
corner of the "AK's" 22, quick thinking school teacher Rob Dawson took
the penalty with the defence at six's and sevens and had only to draw
the last man before putting Swale in for his second try. Their final
score was soon to follow, Raine went down the narrow side from a 5m
scrum, Hodgson was just short in support but Paul Newton was on hand to
sneak in at the corner. Wood's conversion off the touchline came back
off the post and it was the only kick he missed all afternoon in an
excellent performance.
Altrincham were to get a consolation score, Ellar at inside centre saw
a Wood miss pass cannon off him and run loose, the visitors were sharp
enough to gather the ball and put the winger in at the corner. There
was 25 minutes left in the game at this stage but it was already won
and it just slowly petered out, Penrith had the bonus point in the bag
and try though they may Altrincham didn't have the quality to worry a
solid home defence.
If Penrith started in first gear in the trial game at Benedicts they
found second gear in the cup against Wigton last week and engaged third
here with a decent performance, they will be hoping the side is not a
Mini with four gears but a quality motor with a six speed box and it's
certainly looking that way. There were plenty of pleasing aspects to
this display but the emergance of Nick Benson and Billy Barton who have
stepped up from the seconds was about the best, "Billy and Bense" have
hit the road!