Penrith’s win at Middlesbrough the week before had set up nicely their final home game with Consett as the title decider in Regional 2 North.
The way the results had gone the previous week meant the Cumbrians knew they needed a minimum of two points from the fixture to secure promotion, any sort of win would do.
The whole squad had been buzzing all week at both training sessions and then in the pre-match warm up and what would normally have been a big ask for ninth placed Consett would soon look like a mountain to climb.
A guard of honour made up of a group of junior players clapped the sides on to the pitch and it may have looked a bit premature, but not for long and eventually Penrith swept to the title on the back of a 100-0 victory.
Penrith were ahead as soon as the fourth minute. George Graham chased back an awkward bouncing ball and was unable to take it but slapped it in the direction of full back Jamie McNaughton.
He quickly gathered it, beat the first chaser then proceeded to pick his way past another couple of tacklers and the field opened up in front of him. He made it from half way to the try line without a hand being laid on him.
He should have scored again almost immediately when Graham, Sam Wilson and Rob Coward put him away from a scrum in their own half, but he lost the ball over the line and the visitors cleared it to their 22.
The visitors’ relief didn’t last long as the home side scored from the line-out, Archie Rattray took the throw and they set up the driving maul from where a Wilson drive was followed by one by Scott Lancaster who crossed for the try.
The tries then came at regular intervals. Graham created the next sniping at the fringe of a breakdown on the 22, before breaking clean through and drew the last defender for Rattray to score.
Minutes later Joe Spencely took the ball directly from Graham on the short side of a scrum on halfway before putting McNaughton away and he pulled in the last man for Arran Pamphilon to finish the move in the corner.
A nice piece of play between front row forwards Craig Price and Lee Chapman made the ground to allow Graham to release Coward on the outside and his pace allowed him to beat the last two defenders searing up the right touchline.
The next score was a real team try with nearly everyone involved before Wilson’s drive for the line was just short and Adam Howe finished it off from close range.
Consett, although being given the run around were still game and just before the break had their best passage of play close to the home line. They were able to get over the line but were held up.
Penrith then managed a last try before the break. They won turn over ball in their own half before Graham made ground and chipped ahead. McNaughton was in hot pursuit, the ball bounced kindly for him and he took it above his head and sprinted in from half way.
The Winters Park men led 43-0 at the break and there was no let-up in the second half.
Price claimed the next try at the rear of a driven maul following a line-out in the corner; Rattray found himself on the wing and powered in after a lung busting break by Lancaster up the middle.
Wilson got himself on the scoresheet next from a five metre scrum that wheeled with the ball at his feet. He picked up neatly and was faced with the easy task of diving over.
Dylan Thompson bagged himself a try following a steal from the visitors’ line-out in their own 22 and when they re-started the game they went for a kick away from the forwards only to pick out Pamphilon. He ran the ball back, took the last defender on for pace and scored in the corner.
Andy Muir picked up the next score from an attacking line-out following a Lancaster drive; replacement Ross Jackson bagged himself an easy try after Coward chased his chip into the 22 and then caught the defender attempting to clear the ball and it ran lose before he could get it away.
A Graham break in open play set up McNaughton for his hat-trick and Lancaster’s second try was the final score set up by some nifty ball work by James Thompson.
Penrith had done what they had to do. They had been clinical and professional in their approach and dispatched a workmanlike Consett side who never gave up and kept their heads up despite facing a thankless task.
The home side now face a final league game at Durham knowing the pressure is off and then they have the much anticipated County Cup final against Upper Eden.
