PENRITH 26 KIRKBY LONSDALE 7

Penrith 2's once again entertained Kirkby Lonsdale 2nd team in their final group game of the Robinson's Brewery Jug competition. Having won the previous week in the league the home side were hoping for a repeat of that result with a number of changes to the line up as did the visitors.
Kirkby Lonsdale started this game the same as last week and inside 5 minutes they won the ball, broke and after a couple of passes finding their way out to the winger ran in a try from virtually their own line and added the conversion to make the score 0-7. The Penrith lad's had a chat behind the posts and came back out for the restart determined to get back into the game. As in the previous weeks game the home forwards dominated and won ball from the scrum and rucks against the head and were winning penalties putting the visitors under pressure. It was from one of these periods of pressure that the Penrith pack took the ball down from a line out and drove the ball over the line. However, once again, as happened three times last week, they were denied the score and were ruled to be held up. Kirkby managed to clear their lines but not for long. As they worked their way back up the pitch Penrith's Lee Chapman and Scott Lancaster broke and looked more like backs than forwards with their ball handling skills down the line passing it back and forward to each other as they turned the defense inside out. The ball eventually going to fellow forward Chris Jackson who crossed the line in the corner. Unfortunately the extras couldn't be added and kicker Ross Donald was substituted through a muscle tear. It was soon after this that Penrith lost their second player to injury when Julien Lasserre damaged his knee and had to be taken off.
Kirkby kept trying to find a way through the home defense but could not break the line. It was from one of these attacks that Kirkby went through a couple of phases and then spun the ball out to the backs. They tried to gain advantage by missing out players in the pass but Michael Robinson read it well and intercepted the ball to run in unchallenged. Kyle Ryder adding the two points from the tee taking the score to 12-7. This is how it stayed until half time with both sides putting in some tremendous defensive play and holding each other out.
The second half started the same as the first finished with both sides seeing plenty of ball and trying to find a way through, but both sides came up against solid defense. Penrith found themselves on the Kirkby 5 meter line for a scrum and got the ball out for the crash ball, going through the phases they were just about to put the ball down when one of the visiting players was ruled to interfere and received a stint in the sin bin for 10 minutes. Penrith opted for the scrum again and this time managed to drive over for number eight Tom Dawson to touch the ball down for the try. Again Ryder added the extra two making the score 19-7.
Kirkby Lonsdale did not give up and continued to ask questions of the home sides defense but could still not break it down. Penrith also pushed for the next score and eventually found a way through when the ball was passed through the backs and full back Dan Morland saw the gap and went through to put the ball down over the whitewash. Ryder once again putting the ball through the post to take the final score to 26-7 and a place in the jug semi final. Both Scott Lancaster and Kyle Ryder were awarded joint man of the match.
Penrith 2's have another week off before returning to action on the 15th Dec away to Burnage 2nd team in the league.