Penrith maintained their 100% start to the season with a hard fought win over a more than decent Stockport side, this was the sternest test of the campaign so far and only resolute defence in the final quarter saw them claim the narrowest of wins.
The game got off to a bright start in near perfect conditions, both sides made unforced handling errors and it was a knock on in midfield that saw the home side claim their first score. Penrith were gifted the ball when it ballooned off a Stockport runner, the turn over ball was chipped ahead with George Graham in pursuit. The ball landed on its end and bounced cruelly for the last defender back into the path of Graham and he evaded him to run in the try.
Fraser Nicolson did not have the easiest of kicks but struck the conversion nicely for a seven point lead, in the end the young man's kicking would prove pivotal.
The home side then put themselves under pressure conceding a needless penalty in midfield which was kicked to the corner for an attacking lineout, they successfully defended the lineout but the ball was held up over the line so they then had a 5m scrum to defend. The home eight held firm in the set but after a series of phases the visitors worked an overlap for the winger to go over in the corner for an unconverted try.
Penrith then conceded a soft try from the restart, the drop out was spot on dropping just over the 10m line in front of the advancing home forwards, the ball though was allowed to bounce and ended up in the hands of an opposition prop who with no one in front of him made ground, Penrith were then caught out on the narrow side and the visitors went in at the opposite corner for a second unconverted try.
The Cumbrians soon had their noses in front again from a scrum on the defender's 22, Josh Dowson at No8 was off the back of the scrum like a whippet and then fed the ball back inside to Graham who picked his way through the cover for a second try.
Another silly penalty cost the home side the lead, it was kicked to just inside the 22 and the visitors pack worked the catch and drive well from the lineout and advanced to almost the line before the home forwards could bring it to a halt, then after a couple of pick and goes the visitor's prop went over in the corner, again the try went unconverted as the ball came back off the post.
Just before the break the home side got back into the lead, Graham quickly moved turn over ball wide to the right, Olly Gutteridge found Ed Swale, with the defence frantically corner flagging, he stepped back inside the cover and made the line, Nicolson's conversion went over via the post and Penrith had a 19-15 advantage as the teams changed ends.
The home side had a purple patch just after half time and after just 10 minutes and looked to have put the game to bed. Quick thinking again by Graham earned them a try as the forwards battered the line, a long pass to the unmarked blind side winger, James Reynolds, saw him run in unopposed and just minutes later strong running by Dan Richardson saw him break deep into the 22, Graham continued the run and young prop Adam Howe was on hand to complete the move and crash over.
Penrith now led 31-15 and at that stage that looked to be that. That though was far from the case as the home side barely touched the ball in the final half hour and had to defend for all they were worth. Stockport got up a real head of steam, they scored a converted try through the forwards when the home pack was reduced to seven with Dowson off the field with a yellow card.
Penrith looked to about have weathered the storm but with five minutes to go Stockport claimed another converted try when the home threes didn't defend as a unit, the visitors hit the gap and then it was all hands to the pumps as the clock ran down.
Penrith did manage to get good field position but knocked the ball on and were back deep in their own half defending for their lives. The defence was a bit ragged as legs got tired and the visitors upped their effort one last notch but the tackles kept flying in and they just about held firm. One last sweeping move from the visitors looked to have put the last man over in the corner but somehow Dowson and Gutteridge got to him and held him up over the line.
The final whistle went, the home players were elated as they had earned a very narrow very hard fought game by the narrowest of margins, one bounce either way off the posts from the earlier conversions could have seen a different result. A game won by the finest of margins but you often earn your own luck.
It gets no easier next week as the visitors are Wilmslow, the only other undefeated club in the league so far.