VALE OF LUNE 19 PENRITH 28

Penrith's away form in recent times has been woeful so they would be pleased to begin their game at Vale of Lune on the front foot and get off to a decent start. Instead of standing under their own posts in the first five minutes having conceded an early try they had the lead. A knock on by the home side on their 22 gave Penrith their chance, the pack won steady ball and Josh Dowson was off the back of the scrum from No8 like a flash, he had George Graham on his shoulder who drew the attention of the defenders and the gap appeared and Dowson took full advantage and went over for the try.
Penrith had no regular place kicker with them and the conversion went wide, on a different day this may have been their undoing but on this occasion it just made things closer than they need have been.
The Cumbrians then scored from the restart to further ease their nerves, they secured the kick off, on the 22, Graham launched the high clearance kick that Scott Lancaster got to and knocked back. The ball was then moved slickly to the left where Ed Swale set Brook Birley away, he looked to have been brought to a halt on half way but his tenacity and strength saw him break a couple of tackles and take play into the 22. He was eventually brought to ground and the ball whipped right, when the play went wide Olly Gutteridge had James Reynolds outside him and as the cover drifted across to the winger the gap opened up and Gutteridge pinned his ears back and his pace took him through the gap to score but again the conversion went begging.
The home side then stirred into life for the first time in the game and their big forwards, although a little ponderous, started to make a bit of headway, they didn't pose the visitor's defence a lot of problems until they they got within striking distance of the try line. Penrith's poor discipline saw them concede penalties that gave Vale an open invitation to operate deep in the their 22, they eventually struck back with a catch and drive from a lineout 5m out for their opening try.
Penrith were not long in replying, extending their lead, as they pressed a clearance kick went up which the retreating Graham took over his shoulder, he then slipped the ball to Ross Jackson who was travelling at full tilt in the opposite direction, he took full advantage of the open field situation and cut right through the Vale side and was faced with the last man. He had Reynolds on his shoulder and fed him the ball for an easy run in.
Penrith were again conceding penalties and giving the home side field position in their 22 and again Vale rumbled over following a catch and drive from a line deep in Penrith territory. The first successful conversion of the afternoon saw Penrith's lead cut down to three points.
There was a knock on by a Vale forward at the restart and the visitors had an attacking set scrum on the 22, the ball was won and Dowson drove forward from No8, after a number of phases the ball came to Gutteridge and although he didn't look that well positioned he wriggled through a gap, found a bit of space, beat the last man and scored a try that didn't look on when the got the ball.
As the half came to a close Vale were again deep in Penrith territory and looking to close the gap before the break, some desperate last ditch defending and timely intervention by young flanker Stewart Lewis saved the day. With a 20-12 advantage Penrith looked to start the second period positively but it didn't happen. Again they conceded a flurry of penalties and this time on their own line and a yellow card was inevitable and Dan Richardson had 10 minutes in the bin. Vale narrowed the gap to a single point with a converted try from the lineout in the corner following the penalty and it was to get worse as Gutteridge was also yellowed for killing the ball.
Penrith were on the back foot with only 13 men on the pitch but then dug in and started playing some solid rugby and saw the time out and didn't concede before they were back to a full compliment. As the game went into the final quarter they pulled out their lead, from a scrum on their 22 Graham took play down the short side and fed full back Swale who gave Birley early ball. He beat his opposite number for pace, brushed the full back aside and ran in from well within his own half. The conversion in front of the posts would have put the visitors two scores ahead but for the fifth time it went wide.
Penrith were never comfortable as the clock ticked down but they were in the ascendancy and playing deeper in the home half. It was now the turn of the home side to conceded penalties as Penrith turned the screw, they then had a man yellow carded and were penalised right under their own posts. Swale, the captain elected for the penalty kick, held his nerve, and put over his side's first successful kick of the afternoon and they led by two scores.
The game was now in added time and Vale huffed and puffed a bit but never really threatened and the Penrith side were delighted when the whistle went and they had a rare away win under their belt. They will now hope that they have that particular monkey off their back.