Penrith had a familiar tale of woe after their home game on Saturday
against Sandal. They more than matched their opposition for over three
quarters of the game and looked eminently capable of registering a much
needed win before falling away at the end and once again ended up being
gallant losers.
The game started evenly enough, the visitors had a chance to open the
scoring when their fullback, ex Penrith man James Ellar, struck a
penalty wide of the posts but Mike Fearon when he had a similar
opportunity was on target. Good interplay between Mike Hawley and Jon
Fell down the right wing had taken play into the visitor's 22 and
captain Ryan Johnson had gone close to scoring before Sandal were
penalised under their own posts for being offside.
In the build up to the penalty chance was one of the more telling
incidents of the day, prop James Hogg had to leave the field with an
injured knee and the home side would not only miss his all round
contribution in open play but his input at the set scrum.
This problem was soon to manifest itself as shortly after Penrith lost
a scrum on their own line and the visitors were then awarded the put in
to an attacking 5m scrum. They trundled the Penrith eight back towards
their own line and a pushover try in the corner looked on the cards
when Gary Hodgson was adjudged to have interfered at the back of the
Sandal scrum, was yellow carded and a penalty try awarded. Sandal were
now sure of the conversion and would play against 14 men for the next
ten minutes.
As it happened the Cumbrians would profit while depleted, Fearon struck
a second penalty sweetly from the 10m line and such was his confidence
he took another on from five metres further out and it sailed over as
well, Penrith now lead 9-7 and their tails were up.
Hawley, looking more like his old self, then combined well with young
winger Jamie McNaughton down the left. Sandal scrambled the ball into
touch on their own line and the home side had an attacking lineout.
They took their own lineout ball and although still a man down, the
home pack drove for line and put the visitor's eight into reverse gear.
The home seven made the line with relative ease and reserve hooker Dan Morgan came up with the try.
As the first period came to an end Sandal pulled back a penalty but
Penrith were unlucky not to further extend their lead, McNaughton
joined the line off the blindside wing, made the extra man, linked with
Ben Littleton who put Fell away who took play deep into the 22. The visitors
were penalised and the penalty was taken quickly and their line
stormed, Dan Richardson and Mike Stephens went close before Sandal were
able to clear their line and as the whistle went Penrith were good
value for their 14-10 lead.
Kiwi stand off Pale Tuilagi was introduced at half time and it was a
failure to read his long pass that let the visitors get their noses
back in front, they were gifted possession on half way and with the
defence on the back foot were soon on the home line and their big
second row forward powered over, they lead 15-14 but Penrith came back
at them.
The Cunbrians then had a good period of play but could break down the
Yorkshire rear guard, with 20 minutes to go they missed a relatively
easy penalty shot to retake the lead and that is about as near as they
got.
As the game went into the final quarter Penrith spent more and more
time without the ball and spent that time deeper and deeper in their
own half and were increasingly scrummaging. Still only a point behind
there was some hope but they were really up against it when James
Thornton had to leave the field injured. The scrums were then
uncontested and because of the regulations in these situations had to
lose a man and play with 14 men.
There was 40 minutes on the watch before Sandal finally broke down
their stubborn rear guard and in added time they claimed another
touchdown to give the final score a bit of a false ring to it. Penrith
again ended the game with 13 men as Hodgson collect a second yellow
card which meant he was sent off.
Discipline had been a key factor throughout the game as not only had
they given too many penalties away they also had Ed Swale yellow carded
and taking into account the unopposed scrum ruling had had a man off
the field for almost half the game. Too much of a handicap for a
struggling side.