Penrith's trip to Hartlepool was a bit of an "After the Lord Mayor's Show" affair. Following their thrilling win the week before against top of the table Stockport they came second to the workman like north east side who until this point in the season had only managed one win. The visitors started well enough, after soaking up some early pressure a Steve Wood interception backed up by Mike Hawley and Tom Armstrong saw them deep into the home 22, from a lineout close to the line the pack won the ball and rumbled over for a Callum Rutledge try, Wood added the conversion. West Hartlepool came straight back and scored from the restart, Penrith claimed the ball but failed to clear their line with a poor clearance kick which was run back at them, poor first up tackling allowed the home side to score a try which was a lot easier than it should have been. At this point Penrith lost centre Mike Hawley with a muscle pull that would prove to be a major part of their undoing, it then saw teenagers James Ellar and Sandy Kerridge partnered in the centre and although dangerous with ball in hand struggled to contain their hard running opposite numbers. Penrith almost scored a second try when a flat Wood miss pass was adjudged forward but were to concede a second try when tackles were missed as the home side tore holes down the middle of the field to score a converted try under the posts. As the first half went on Penrith pressure did lead to two penalty chances one of which Wood took to reduce the arrears to 12-10 at half time. Penrith had played the first half with the assistance of a strong wind and now turned to face it, they started brightly and after only four minutes had their noses in front again, their young backs always looked dangerous especially from open play and after Gavin Cartmel made a break Wood also found the gap to go over under the posts. They continued to have the better of things and a sliced Hartlepool clearance saw them with a lineout close to the home line. For a second time they caught and drove lineout ball for kiwi hooker Rutledge to claim the try. With a 10 point advantage Penrith looked pretty secure but to their credit Hartlepool took the game by the scruff of the neck and bossed the final quarter. They scored a third try as they again exposed Penrith through the middle, they then squared things at 22-22 with a well taken drop goal. Penrith did have opportunities but failed to turn scoring chances into points and lost the game when the home forwards returned the compliment, won a lineout close to the line and drove over. The conversion was missed so Penrith did have chance to save the game at the death but try as they may couldn't reproduce the heroics of the week before.