Penrith travelled to Wigton expecting a tough derby game; they had
beaten them 36-12 at Winters Park earlier in the season but that game
was a lot closer than the score suggested and for the first half hour
of this game that is what they got.
From the off Penrith looked the more dangerous of the two sides and
were seeing more of the ball than the home side but initially they were
having trouble breaking them down. They had scored an early try when
they won turnover ball on the home 22, Ed Swale broke right and chipped
the ball in behind the defending winger. Jamie McNaughton was alive to
the situation, streaked past him and when the ball sat up nicely strode
in at the corner. The conversion was wide out and into the wind and
would be the only kick young James Spencer would miss all afternoon.
Penrith extended their lead after kicking a penalty to touch on the
home 22, they won the lineout, drove the ball infield and when JJ Key
broke off Wigton were penalised at the breakdown and Spencer goaled the
penalty. Wigton hit straight back from the restart as Penrith's
concentration lapsed, the ball was allowed to bounce and the home side
regained possession and caught the defence on the back foot and they
infringed head on to the posts and the penalty brought the home side
within a score at 3-8.
Wigton then had some decent possession and field position and were
pressing in the visitor's 22 but they lost possession of the ball,
Swale took advantage of the turnover ball, made a clean break and
looked as if he might go the whole way but was just caught on half way,
he got the ball away which came quickly to Kris Bratton who put Darren
Lee away and he took his opposite number on for pace on the outside and
ran along the touchline to score.
Penrith were then to score two tries in the five minutes before half
time that killed off the game, strong running by Tama Toomata and
Jarrett Crouch made space for James Boustead who released McNaughton
down the right, he still had a bit to do as he left three defenders in
his wake to claim his second try. He completed his hat trick on the
stroke of half time, Bratton hit the gap between the winger and outside
centre on half way, shrugged off the full back but was just caught by
the cover almost on the line. The support was up quick and when the
ball was won it came out to McNaughton for the easiest of tries.
Penrith turned round 29-3 ahead with the wind at their backs and Wigton
were looking at a long second half, Penrith did rattle up another five
tries but the home side dug in and never gave up and ended the game on
a high with two converted tries of their own. Captain Ryan Johnson was
next on the score sheet when a throw to the tail of the Penrith lineout
ran loose, he snapped it up and barged and spun his way out of several
tackles before forcing his way over.
Johnson was instrumental in the next score, a nice blind side move by
Pale Tuilagi and Spencer took the ball into the home 22, Crouch made
inroads and fed Johnson who almost made the line then played the ball
deftly out of contact for his second row partner Harlan Corrie to dive
under the posts for a well deserved try. McNaughton got his fourth try
when he came off his wing and took an inside ball off Bratton on the 22
that completely split the defence and he went in under the posts.
Penrith were to score from the restart, first James Hogg and then
Crouch made good ground before moving the ball to Tuilagi who put
replacement hooker Dan Morgan in for his first senior try. At this
stage there were 20 minutes to go and at 57-3 down Wigton and to their
credit the home side rallied and spent some time in the visitor's 22,
after a lineout 5m out and a 5m scrum their persistence paid off for
their first try and the got a second from a catch and drive from a
lineout 10m out. In between those two tries a second Swale chip in
behind the Wigton defence had created a score, this time for Lee who
gathered the ball well for his second try.
David Preston and his side now find themselves in a good place going
into the second half of the season, they sit in 6th place in the league
just off the pace, they have the best defensive record in the league
and his young side are starting to come together nicely and improving
as they go along. Another teenager Daniel Richardson (18) made his
senior debut, did well in the loose and the lineouts and did not look
out of place at that level.