Straight from the kick off the home side were on the offensive and while the panthers were finding
their feet, a home forward broke the line and raced through for a converted try.
Penrith were stung into action – rucked ball was secured after a run by Lexi Hodgson, the ball was
transferred out until a pass bounced in front of Eimhear McGrath, she fly hacked on a couple of
times and outpaced the cover for a great try converted by Caitlin Wood.
The home side responded well and scored two tries (one converted) before Penrith again struck.
With Stockton on the attack a good counter ruck by Grainger and Hodgson allowed the latter to pick
up shrug of one tackle and race 60 metres for the try which Wood again converted.
The game see-sawed Penrith having the advantage in the scrum while Stockton dominated lineouts.
The visitors had a couple of chances with runs by Emma Kellett and Emma Campbell both ending
with last ditch tackles. Penrith had some pressure near the home line but a spilled ball allowed
Stockton to clear. The Rockets added another converted try before Hodgson again scored a long
range try under the posts, unfortunately the conversion attempt hit the post.
Playing with the slope in the second half the home team were, for a period of time, ruthless scoring
six unanswered tries, three of which were converted. This could have been even more had it not
been for some superb cover tackles especially by McGrath, who showed her pace in getting back to
haul down the home centre who had broken through.
Penrith never gave up, Kellett made a couple of breaks, as did Grierson. Tackling improved with
Grainger, Di Hetherington, Emma Birkett, Clare Edmondson and Campbell well to the fore. When the
ball found its way to the wings the visitors made ground but all too often the final pass wasn’t given
and cover snuffed out the attack.
With the game gone, Penrith were desperate to get something out of the match, changes were
made with skipper Caz Davidson moving the scrum half, McGrath went to full back and Hodgson
moved to centre. Good ball secured by the forwards gave Davidson time to find Wood, her pump
pass gave Campbell space to accelerate onto the ball, before shipping it on to Hodgson who cut
through the home defence before heading out to the wing – a well-placed hand-off on the last
defender gave her the space to make the line to complete her hat-trick. Wood added a fine
touchline conversion to complete the afternoons scoring.
Squad: Winder, Brook, Hetherington, Willetts, Edmondson, Strand, Grainger, Davidson, Laud, Wood,
Purdy, McGrath, Kellett, Jaclson, Hodgson, Campbell, Birkett, Grierson and MaGuiness.