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Saints vs Penrith
Tony McArdle11 Nov 2024 - 09:49
First team maintain winning streak.
Overcast dull conditions greeted the travelling faithful of Cumbrian side Penrith on their visit to Eastham.
With the Cumbrian side doing the double over Saints last season there was some trepidation in the camp. This season Saints are much improved, after their first year in North West 1 and with a strengthening of the squad led by joint Directors of rugby Barrie and Steve Pilgrim have remained unbeaten so far this season.
Penrith started the game well with their large forward pack driving the ball up the pitch however Saints held firm and quick thinking scrum half Liam Sadler intercepted a loose pass on the 10m line and sprinted to the other end of the pitch to score under the posts, converted by Nick Baldwin for a 7 point lead.
Penrith continued to push forward in attack but where pinned back by the kicking of Sadler and Baldwin, with a lineout 10m out Saints well drilled pack drove towards the line with Joe Sanders peeling off and going over the white wash for his 10th try of the season, excellent numbers for a hooker!!.Converted by Baldwin or a 14 point lead.
With Penrith again driving hard down the pitch the game became a stalemate with good attacks by Penrith but some very solid Saints defence, the ball was turned over midfield by Saints forwards and with a little space some good interplay between Olly Dodd and Armani Roberts the ball found the hands of full back Dai Morley to score in thew corner, not converted unfortunately and allowed Saints to go in at half time 19-0 ahead.
Penrith came out firing in the 2nd half again the pack driving forward at every opportunity and were rewarded with a try under the sticks, converted within 2 minutes of the restart. Again, buoyed by putting some points on the board Penrith looked a different team again driving forward at every opportunity and where again rewarded with another converted try on 47mins making the score 19-14.
However, the Saints are a team that never gives up and after a high tackle on a Saints forward on the twenty-two the reliable Baldwin stepped up to slot the penalty 22-14. The game became an arm wrestle in the centre of the park, but it was Saints who started to dominate and with 10 mins to go a stretched Penrith defence was unable to keep out Theo Chapman scores in the corner converted by Baldwin for the fourth try and bonus point.
The 5-point win keeps Saints 2nd in the table behind Rossendale. Next week its away v Newport.
With the Cumbrian side doing the double over Saints last season there was some trepidation in the camp. This season Saints are much improved, after their first year in North West 1 and with a strengthening of the squad led by joint Directors of rugby Barrie and Steve Pilgrim have remained unbeaten so far this season.
Penrith started the game well with their large forward pack driving the ball up the pitch however Saints held firm and quick thinking scrum half Liam Sadler intercepted a loose pass on the 10m line and sprinted to the other end of the pitch to score under the posts, converted by Nick Baldwin for a 7 point lead.
Penrith continued to push forward in attack but where pinned back by the kicking of Sadler and Baldwin, with a lineout 10m out Saints well drilled pack drove towards the line with Joe Sanders peeling off and going over the white wash for his 10th try of the season, excellent numbers for a hooker!!.Converted by Baldwin or a 14 point lead.
With Penrith again driving hard down the pitch the game became a stalemate with good attacks by Penrith but some very solid Saints defence, the ball was turned over midfield by Saints forwards and with a little space some good interplay between Olly Dodd and Armani Roberts the ball found the hands of full back Dai Morley to score in thew corner, not converted unfortunately and allowed Saints to go in at half time 19-0 ahead.
Penrith came out firing in the 2nd half again the pack driving forward at every opportunity and were rewarded with a try under the sticks, converted within 2 minutes of the restart. Again, buoyed by putting some points on the board Penrith looked a different team again driving forward at every opportunity and where again rewarded with another converted try on 47mins making the score 19-14.
However, the Saints are a team that never gives up and after a high tackle on a Saints forward on the twenty-two the reliable Baldwin stepped up to slot the penalty 22-14. The game became an arm wrestle in the centre of the park, but it was Saints who started to dominate and with 10 mins to go a stretched Penrith defence was unable to keep out Theo Chapman scores in the corner converted by Baldwin for the fourth try and bonus point.
The 5-point win keeps Saints 2nd in the table behind Rossendale. Next week its away v Newport.
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