Penrith's form in recent weeks has been improving and despite the fact
they lost it improved again last Saturday. Darlington were the best
side Penrith have faced this season by some distance and although they
ended up being narrowly defeated they earned themselves a losing bonus
point, played some nice rugby in the second half and gave themselves
something to build on before next week's crunch game against struggling
Morley.
The home side made a decent start, after only four minutes winning a
lineout on the visitor's 22, they had numerous attacking phases of play
in and around the 22 and eventually were awarded a penalty which Steve
Wood kicked for a three point lead. They weren't to lead for long as
the visitors came back strongly, it was easy to see why they were
second in the league and had only lost one game, and that to top of the
table Chester. In the first half their attacking play was so direct and
powerful they looked as if they might score every time they had
possession. Penrith were defending for all they were worth but they
weren't quite up to it and conceded a converted try when the Darlington
stand off ghosted through a gap in the stretched and scrambling defence.
The home side seemed to have almost stemmed the tide half way through
the first half when they had their lineout ball stolen on their 22 and
a sweeping attack saw the visitors score in the corner for a second
converted try. Penrith were hanging on in there and took advantage when
the visitors were down to 14 men, with a forward yellow carded. They
won a lineout deep in the opposition 22, first Gary Hodgson and then
Paul Newton took play close to the line, the ball came left, Jon Fell
came off the blind side wing to make the extra man, took the miss pass
and fed James Ellar who just dived in at the corner. Wood's excellent
touchline conversion brought the score back to 10-14 and Penrith were
back in the game after looking as if they might get blown away.
As the half drew to a close the home side were unlucky not to sneak a
lead, another Darlington attack was broken up on the home 22 and as the
ball came to the backs fullback Ellar could see the cover was thin and
broke up the middle, with only the last defender to beat on the 22 he
opted for a chip and chase and was very narrowly beaten to the
touchdown. Then, as has happened a time or two recently, concentration
lapsed as the half drew to a close and as the visitors mounted one last
assault, they ran a kickable penalty and caught the home defence on the
hop, a third converted try conceded meant they turned round two scores
in down at 21-10 rather than being really in the mix.
Penrith did start the second period very brightly and put the North
East men under some pressure, their defence though was sound and the
home side were struggling to break them down. They were having much the
better of it but on 60 minutes disaster struck, against the run of play
at the time a little sleight of hand down the blind side of a ruck on
half way and the visitors were away and Penrith conceded the softest of
tries to fall even further behind.
That might have been it, a month earlier in the season it probably
would have been but the home side continued to battle away and produce
attacking positions. With ten minutes to go they were rewarded for
their endeavour, Phil Fell came into the line and made room for Ellar
who hit the gap, made the break and put Jon Fell away on the 22. He had
still a bit to do but out paced the cover and got over in the corner,
another superb strike from Wood claimed the conversion and Penrith
continued to attack.
With full time approaching those present were about to witness one of
the finest individual tries scored at Winters Park for some time, Jimmy
Ellar caught a clearance kick on halfway, his line of running easily
beat the first line of chasers. He stepped a couple of forwards and as
he hit the 22 decided he could beat the rest of cover for pace on the
outside, the first man got a handful of shirt but couldn't hang on and
the tackler close to the line was not strong enough to hold him up and
was carried over with him, a peach of a try.
Wood's third conversion from wide out closed the gap to four points, as
the game restarted it entered stoppage time and an upset was on the
cards. Penrith however couldn't just manage to mount a final attack but
it was a measure of how they rattled ther opponents when they opted to
kick the ball to touch in the Penrith 22 to finish the game rather
attack themselves.