Penrith started the game in what has become their customary fashion in recent weeks, by inviting the opposition to attack them down the centre of the field. Rossendale were quite happy to oblige and within two minutes their direct, hard running approach saw them score under the Penrith posts. From the restart they almost repeated the trick and only frantic, scrambling defence by Penrith held them up 10m out.
The home side continued to pour on the pressure and their league record of only two wins in eight games didn’t reflect their form in this game, Penrith were hanging on for dear life but another home score looked inevitable.
It was backs to the wall stuff and they were pinned on their own line when totally against the run of play they levelled the score. James Thornton stole the ball on his own line, it came to Ian McDowell whose pass put Ben Littleton through the gap and once he was away he would take some catching, from his own line he was within touching distance of the try line at the other end of the field when the covering full back hauled him down. McDowell and Mike Hawley were in close support and when the home side were penalised for killing the ball Hawley took the tap and McDowell went over for the try before anyone else got anywhere near. Steve Wood’s conversion went over and from looking like going two scores down they were back on terms.
It didn’t last long, they lost possession at the kick off, conceded the penalty and the simple chance went over for a 10-7 lead for the home team.
They went further ahead with a second penalty shot and then Wood hit back with a penalty for the visitors and as the game entered the second quarter the home team’s opening frantic pace rather dropped and Penrith were able to ease their way into the game and exerted some pressure of their own. A penalty to the corner and two attacking line outs saw Penrith go close before they took the lead from a 5m attacking lineout. The throw went to Phil Gardham jumping in the middle of the line, he got an unceremonious shove in the back, didn’t take the ball and it went over him to Gary Hodgson at the tail who dived over almost unchallenged.
Penrith got to half time with their 15-13 lead intact and turned around to play down the slope and could count themselves lucky as they could quite well have been 20 points or more down if things had gone the home sides way. They kicked off , the home side secured the ball and cleared their lines and the ball was gathered on half way. Penrith then put together their best piece of play of the afternoon and several phases later from a ruck 10m out the ball came to Wood who had Thornton on his outside shoulder who took the pop pass and stormed over. Wood converted and Penrith ran the restart back in similar style and looked odds on to score again and kill the game off, they went close but didn’t quite manage and as the game went on never looked as dangerous again.
Penrith’s captain Wood was playing with a bit of a groin strain and as time wore on it became obvious it was bothering him and effecting his ability to run the game. Things began to drift a little and the home side began to realise they still were in with a chance. When the visitor’s outside centre and winger left tackling home winger to each other and he sped through the gap to score it was really game on.
The Rossendale effort was revitalised and the threw everything into attack and some poor first up tackling by Penrith saw them concede a third try to lose the lead and then a fourth to go ten points behind. It looked as if they were going to go from what looked like comfortable winners just after half time to coming home with nothing when Littleton stepped up to put his mark on proceedings.
With Penrith under the cosh he was able to break from well within his own half and when he was finally stopped nicely into the home half Rossendale were penalised and when Wood goaled the penalty he moved his side to within seven points and that meant when the final whistle went they had at least a losing bonus point to show for their efforts.
It wasn’t the outcome Penrith were looking for at the start of the afternoon but the way things panned out it was better than it might have been. There are no easy games in this league and this Saturday host West Hartlepool. Their playing record is not the best but anything less than a 100% effort and application by the home side will not be good enough to secure a win, there is plenty of work to be done.