Penrith's struggles on the road continued when they came away from Broughton Park on Saturday with nothing, not even a bonus point. It was all the more galling because after a poor start they had got themselves back into the game and going into the final quarter were even leading, then just fell away at the end.
It was a bright pleasant afternoon but there was a strong breeze and the home side had it at their backs as the game started. They were soon on the front foot as Penrith made life difficult for themselves, knocking the ball on at the kick off and giving the home side possession deep in their own half, within two minutes Broughton Park had taken full advantage and scored in the corner and the visitors were looking at a five point deficit before they had got anything like into their own game.
The home side continued to pile on the pressure and had a series of lineouts and scrums deep in the Cumbrian's 22, Penrith hung on and conceded a string of penalties and could not lift the siege and eventually from a 5m scrum the home No8 broke. The visiting backs combined to stop him on the line but when the ball was swung wide their cover was short and the winger went in at the corner. Kicking with the wind was proving problematic and the second conversion also went wide but Penrith still trailed by 10 points.
There were 20 minutes on the clock before the visitors got a put into the scrum and they then slowly clawed their way into the game. Mike Hawley and Brad Taylor briefly combined to show a bit of attacking flair but they then went further behind. There was relief as a kick to the corner from a penalty awarded to the home side failed to find touch, the relief was short lived as Broughton Park ran the Penrith clearance back, moved it across the field right to left and the winger again went in at the left hand corner. The wind again got the better of the conversion attempt but Penrith were three tries and 15 points down.
Penrith were though starting to play a bit of rugby and getting some possession and field position, the home side were begining to feel the pressure a little and concede penalties. The visitors kicked a couple to the corner but failed to secure their throw to the lineout. They then had a good series of forward drives in the home 22 and were starting to look dangerous. A third penalty was kicked to the corner, Ryan Lee found Dan Richardson jumping in the middle of the line and they set up the driving maul. The maul was inching forward and didn't get to the line but got close enough for George Graham to take the ball and force his way over. A lull in the breeze allowed Nathan Wooff to put over his well judged conversion and Penrith were back in the game.
They were relieved to get to half time after five and a half minutes of added time without any addition to the score and at 15-7 down after being second best for long periods in the first half it wasn't a bad return.
Penrith started the second half on the front foot and were soon rewarded with a penalty attempt from 30m, Wooff struck it well but to the home side's relief it came back off the post. Penrith were not to be denied and good work down the blind side by Graham gave them an opening. Richardson fought his way through a couple of tackles before Dan Greenwood linked with Ian McDowell who was faced with the last defender. He drew him nicely and Hawley was on his shoulder on the outside and was clean away down the right. He got to the corner but had the sense to avoid the defender and ground the ball under the posts for an easy conversion.
Penrith were now only one point adrift and got another penalty chance just outside the 22 after an excellent series of forward drives drew the penalty. This time Wooff made no mistake and Penrith had scored 17 unanswered points to lead.
The game was going into the final quarter and if going behind had stung the home side into action or the Penrith players thought they had done enough was not clear but Broughton Park had much the better of the remainder of the game.
They scored a converted try to lead by five points and were then successful with a penalty attempt to pull the lead out and deny Penrith a losing bonus point. Penrith huffed and puffed as the clock ran down but to be fair the home side looked the more likely to add to their tally as the game ended.
Results in the league did not go the Cumbrians way and they have to hope and pray their home form can keep them out of trouble in the final six game run in.