Penrith Rugby Club's preparations for their vital match against Douglas were not ideal but they still claimed a 31-18 win.

They had already been piecing a side together with several stand-out players missing with long-term injuries when they had two late injury cry-offs on Friday.

This resulted in young wing forward Adrigh Cole starting on the left wing and three front-row forwards on the bench.

Also probably more importantly, former captain Ryan Johnson started only his second game of the season in the second row.

But it was Douglas who broke the deadlock in the first five minutes when Penrith were adjudged offside in front of their own posts and the visitors kicked an easy penalty.

This early set-back didn’t dampen home spirits, though. They responded with their first try of the game.

Mike Raine and George Graham combined to get the ball away and Dan Richardson got the touchdown. There was a slight respite in the gale and Nathan Wooff did well to convert.

Penrith were more than holding their own and would be disappointed to have gone behind after 20 minutes when the visitors scored a try.

The conversion was almost impossible and was missed but a much easier penalty chance was taken for a high tackle and, at the break, Douglas had an 11-7 lead.

Penrith did their best to play simple rugby through the forwards, with short passes in the second half when hard driving play was the order of the day.

All the forwards played their part but Josh Dowson was outstanding.

The Cumbrians got their noses in front after they took a scrum after a yellow-card offence by a visiting defender on his own line.

Mike Hawley, playing his first game for the club for five seasons, saw his chance and flew over to the blindside to take the pass and crash over.

From another scrum, this time outside the 22, they extended their lead.

Raine took advantage of a good clean strike and was off the back of the scrum before the visiting back-row forwards moved. In the 22, he put Graham away on the outside before stepping back inside and Jon Fell, on the wing, could see he was in no position to take a pass so also switched back inside and took a pop pass to carry the last defender over the line with him.

Penrith now had the bit between their teeth and the fourth and bonus-point try was wholly down to the forwards. It was Johnson who came up with the try as he bulldozed his way over.

Then, with 10 minutes to go, Fell put the icing on the cake with a fifth try.

Douglas got a consolation try in the final minutes but it came too little, too late.