Colts v DMP (A)

Penrith v DMP

The normally one-hour journey to Darlington Mowden Park was extended by a further 40 minutes due to the A66 road closure and diversionary route for the 49-seater coach. However, we still got a decent warm-up and the kick-off only delayed by 15 minutes.

This was a season-defining game for us, DMP were unbeaten league leaders and playing at home. We had a strong squad of 19 lads who were keen to make amends to a narrow three-point home defeat at the end of January. As expected, the home side came out of the blocks fast and had the early pressure and on the balance of play took a deserved early seven-point lead on ten minutes. We didn’t need a wake-up call as the lads already knew the scale of the task. We bounced back with two converted tries to take a lead that we never lost but the home side was never going to roll-over for us. In the final minutes of the first half, their powerful pack crashed over again to close the gap to 12 – 14.

In the second half, we pressed up and played most of the game in opposition’s half. We managed to convert pressure into points scoring two more converted tries in the third quarter. The final quarter started to come to life, but for all the wrong reasons, first, we had a yellow card, they scored again and then the home side got a red card. The niggle that bubbled below the surface started to boil over. The frustration turned into retaliation, DMP had not been in this position before in the league this season, the referee certainly had his work cut out. The game was closed out with a penalty kick to top up our points tally. A well-deserved away win with a final score of, DMP 17 – 31 Penrith.

From the off DMP’s forwards put us on the back foot, our defence was being tested, and we conceded silly avoidable penalties that turned over possession and territory. That’s where their first score came from, a kick to touch and a 5m attacking lineout gave the home side a perfect platform. The well-drilled catch and drive is always difficult to defend against, on this occasion it was fruitful for the attackers, 7 – 0. We looked dangerous in possession, the pack were assured in and around the rucks and when we had the opportunity, we moved the ball out wide. Fifteen minutes in the pack did the hard yards, they strung several phases together before the ball was released down the three quarters. Tom Knowles on the wing, rounded off a great passage of play with pace into a gap and over the line to claw back points, fullback, Fraser Nicolson converted.

Our second try came ten minutes later from a DMP scrum put-in on their 22m. Hugh Burne at scrumhalf was like a greyhound out of the traps, he stifled his opposite numbers pass with a wrap tackle that caused the ball bobble loose. Hugh snapped it up and made several yards towards the line drawing in the defenders, a well-timed offloaded in the tackle and pass out wide found Ed Smith in space with the line in sight. He rounded a defender to cap-off another great passage of play. However, we went through another phase of indiscipline as penalty after penalty went the way of the home-side. They had the last score of the half with a carbon copy of their first try. An attacking 5m lineout, catch and drive to the line, half-time, 12 – 14.

In the second half, we seemed to step up a gear, our line defence was forcing errors, tackles were dominant and rarely missed. Lock, Toby King was next on the scoresheet from some good work in open play. We were pressing hard on the home-sides try-line, the pack were crashing off the fringes and met with a stern defence, after four or five phases Toby found the smallest of gaps to reach out and get the ball on the line. Fraser converted again with his assured boot.

Hugh again led the way for our fourth and last try. This time we had a scrum 22m following an inaccurate throw at a DMP lineout. Off the base of the scrum Hugh dodged and carried up onto the 10m, with the defence sucked in and another timely offload the ball went wide left. Fraser having joined the line found enough space to squeeze into the corner and then made a short run nearer to the posts to make his kick easier, another well-deserved seven points.

As we moved into the last quarter tempers started to flare up, there were notable angry clashes with both sides reacting to situations not seen by the referee. He pulled in the captains for a chat and it was clear the next infringement would be and was dealt with firmly. Hooker, Tom Hill was the first one on the wrong side of a retaliation and spent the next seven minutes in the bin.

Within minutes of us returning to full strength, the home-side again went over this time down the backline into the left corner for an unconverted try. With just three minutes remaining it was DMP’s turn to test the referee’s patience. This time a punch to the head on the floor was seen by the referee, there was only going to be one outcome, a red card. We pressed on for one last time and gained a penalty in front of the posts within easy kicking distance for Fraser. He maintained his 100% kicking record slotting the ball between the posts for the last play, final score, 17 – 31.

A sterling effort from every player. We approached the game with the right attitude, remained focused and did what we knew what we had to do. A well-deserved win against a top-notch side, if we can reduce the penalty count, we would turn a very good win into an excellent win. Let’s keep that focus going and not get complacent, we have four league games left, three away and one home. Next Sunday is away at West Hartlepool.

Let’s not forget to mention such a fantastic day was rounded off with a traditional theme, “Farmers” The Bumpkins were well dressed (some were anyway) and partook of post-match drinks in the club bar, followed by forfeit singing by the wanna-be “Wurzels” Entertainment continued on the bus with “Monico’s Music Guitar” and a local pub En-Route back to Penrith. First, Fuzzy Duck in the pub and then the who has the strongest bladder contest on the bus.