Penrith Rugby Club appeared to have a severe case of "travel sickness" at the start of their North One West game at Northwich.

After half-an-hour, they found themselves 33-7 down, having conceded five tries and, although there was a steadying of the ship, they still went down 47-24.

The home side played some nice rugby but it’s so much easier to go through the phases, run your training ground moves and play “fancy Dan” rugby when the opposition are not in your faces.

As a 15, Penrith stood off them and, when they finally came to their senses, they left themselves with far too much to do.

Northwich were allowed to score their tries far too easily, and all Penrith had to show for their efforts in the first 30 minutes was one well-worked line-out after a penalty kick to the corner.

Dan Richardson, in his first game after an ankle injury, took the ball and set-up the driven maul which eventually led to a try by Adam Howe.

As the half drew to a close, the Cumbrians began to show something like their true form and started knocking the home players backwards in the tackle, rather than letting them make yards going into contact.

The half-time deficit became 33-12 when Nathan Wooff took a long pass and found Jamie McNaughton who made a show of the ball to the winger, then went himself, hit the gap and made the line in the corner.

They scored again just five minutes after the restart when a quick interchange between McNaughton and Jay Rossi put Jonny Wills in the clear just into the home side’s half, and he had enough pace to outstrip the cover and make the line from 50 metres out.

Wooff converted to hint at a sustained comeback.

The home side looked as if they had got the jitters and Penrith then scored the try of the game with Matt Allinson deservedly coming up with the score.

They had moved the ball from their own 22, gone through the phases and slowly progressed up the field before camping on the line in the left-hand corner.

Allinson then applied the finishing touch as he brushed three defenders aside to force his way over in the corner.

The same man was unlucky to be yellow-carded as he stripped the ball carrier one more time.

This reduced the visitors to 14 men, robbing them of one of their big tacklers and the home side rallied to take advantage.

They scored two late tries to run out deserved winners but, if Penrith had started like they played the second half, it would have been a completely different matter.