Penrith move top of North One East with record-breaking win

They started the game at a high tempo and kept it up for 80 minutes and, in the process, notched up 16 tries.

Those came at regular intervals with eight tries in each half.

Josh Dowson claimed the try as the visiting forwards were shunted over their own line from a driving maul.

Ed Swale set up the second try with a half break and a well-timed pass to Jamie McNaughton, who went in for what was to be the first of his six tries, also a club record.

When the pack won a line-out on the left 25 metres out, a driving maul made ground before the ball was released and moved right down the back line.

McNaughton came off the blind side wing to make the extra man before slicing through the defence to make the line.

Penrith got their fourth try along with the bonus point with 25 minutes on the clock. Strong running up the middle by Phil Armstrong set up the chance as he got well into the 22.

The forwards were in support and rumbled to the line where, after a number of drives, Dan Richardson finally forced his way over.

A Mike Fearon break set up the next try and, once in behind the first line of defence, George Graham set up Harlan Corrie who steamed in.

Hard running by Lee Chapman and a long Graham pass set up McNaughton for his hat-trick.

McNaughton combined with Jon Fell and they took play deep into the 22 up the right. The ball then ran loose and over the line, where Fearon was on hand to claim the touch down.

Ryan Johnson was the catalyst for the final try in the first half as he won turnover ball and two phases later Chapman found himself at outside centre and made a decent job of drawing the last man and putting McNaughton away for his fourth try.

Penrith turned round 52-0 up and the tries continued to flow.

McNaughton claimed his fifth as the home side spent a rare period on their own line. When they finally broke down the visitors’ attack and turned over the ball, it was flipped to the winger who ran the length of the field, evading half a dozen tacklers.

McNaughton and Ben Littleton made ground up the left and the attack was halted just short of the line.

Penrith won the ruck ball and Swale, now at scrum-half, went blind and chipped the ball into the dead-ball area into the path of McNaughton who dotted it down for his sixth score.

Then, Fell took an inside ball coming off the blind side wing to set up Graham for the next score and Fell again was the provider as Armstrong went in under the posts for the next.

A surging run by Richardson was continued by Littleton and he set up Armstrong for his second try.

Then, a lung-bursting break by Stephens paved the way for a Swale score to go into the 90’s.

Guisborough were still up for it and their stand off scored the try their effort deserved.

The score went to 99 when Callum Poulson made the break to release Matt Allinson, who unselfishly set up Corrie who stormed in for his second.

Penrith were desperate to make it three figures and it was Craig Price with a smart dummy and clean break who made 40 metres before popping-up the ball to Johnson, who went in for the final try.

St. Benedict’s welcomed promotion hopefuls Birkenhead Park in North One West with six players called up from the second team.

Although 38-20 in the visitors’ favour sounds like a comprehensive defeat, the game was in the balance until the last quarter.

That was when the Saints ran out of steam, hardly surprising with so many not used to the intensity at this level.

Saints started well against an unbeaten Park side and were on the front foot or the first ten minutes, with Kyle Hiddleston directing the game from fly-half.

However, from a scrum on the Saints’ ten metre line, Park scored their first try of the game created by the number eight for the scrum-half.

Injury-hit Saints suffered more agony when they lost Lee Wood but showed resilience, forcing Park back with forward drives.

They thought they had got over but the referee ruled the ball was held up over the line.

But, after a succession of penalties, the ball was put into touch ten metres from the Park line and from a catch and drive Craig Halligan was at the base to power over. Hiddleston levelled the scores with the conversion.

They were almost in again but knocked-on near the line and the half closed all square.

Saints started well again and, from a break by Hiddleston, the ball was chipped over the Park defence who were ruled to have killed the ball.

The resultant Hiddleston penalty gave the home side the lead at 10-7.

It was not to last as the home side made a hash of the restart and Park retained possession.

They moved the ball wide until Saints ran out of defenders and scored in the corner, adding a superb touchline conversion.

Saints wouldn’t lie down and, after putting pressure on the Park defence, were gifted a penalty which Hiddleston slotted over.

The young Saints team were beginning to show signs of fatigue and, when Park were given a penalty, they ran the ball. Using the forwards, they squeezed over for their third try which was converted.

The home side fought back bravely and, when Park’s influential second rower was binned for slowing the ball down, Hiddleston went in for a try which he converted.

Despite tiring they were still in the contest at 24-20 down but again made a hash of the restart, gifting the ball back to Park through a penalty.

They kicked to the corner and, despite some heroic defending by the home side, they scored again and the conversion put them clear.

Saints were running on empty and in the last few minutes the Park centre sliced through untouched to score with the conversion the final score.