Match Reports
ill discipline costs points
Saturday 13th February 2010
Penrith 38 Morley 14
MORLEY were swept away in the second half, conceding four tries, to lose their first game since the opening day of the season and be overtaken by Stockport at the top of National Three North.
The Maroons were without Simon Bradshaw, who was ill, as brother Karl Bradshaw came in on the left wing, but they dominated the first half and would have been well clear at half-time had it not been for careless mistakes and ill-discipline with some costly backchat to the official.
The second half was a marked contrast and nearly all Penrith with a few brief flurries from Morley in a poor performance which seemed to lack direction and cohesion.
In contrast to their previous game, Morley made a slow start and conceded a scrum on their '22.
When the ball came to home stand-off Steve Wood he put a crossfield chip into the path of Joe Nattrass, who gathered a favourable bounce and evaded two tacklers to score. Wood converted.
Morley then dominated, playing some good rugby. A storming break by Liam Frost took play to half-way and Chris Morgan continued the move to set up a strong period of pressure by the Maroons. Eventually Penrith strayed offside to prevent a try and the referee awarded a penalty try which Mark Chester converted.
Morley added further pressure and twice opened up the way to the line only to be recalled for forward passes.
The frustration showed and, after 24 minutes, Morley were twice penalised for speaking out of turn after a debateable decision and resulted in a scrum on their line.
Penrith's Mike Raine drove off the back and when the ball came to Wood he drew the cover and slipped a short pass to Gavin Cartmel who crossed from short range. The conversion was missed.
The league leaders were still dominating and Chester made a good midfield break. He was held but Sean Dadswell and Peter Dadswell moved the ball to Craig Field, who kept stepping back inside the cover to score with a strong run. The conversion by Chester put Morley 14-12 ahead.
Despite further domination by the Maroons, it stayed that way until the break and things looked good for the visitors.
All of which made the turnaround in the second half come as a complete shock. It started early when a Morley attack broke down on the Penrith '22 and the home side worked clear.
Once again back-chat proved very costly and the outcome was that the Maroons found themselves defending near their line.
Penrith opted for another scrum and Raine picked up and forced his way over for Wood to add the goal and from that stage the home side did not look back.
After 57 minutes a rare Morley attack created an overlap but a looping pass towards the wing was anticipated and intercepted by Penrith winger Tom Armstrong, who raced clear. Morgan got back to tackle but the home flanker Mike Stephens was in support and went in for the try and Morley trailed 24-14.
The Maroons brought on Sean Burke to replace Morgan and Will Smyth came on for Steve Hewetson.
Morley had prop Paul Gabriel shown a yellow card for coming into a maul from the side and Pete Dadswell went off to allow Luke Brocklehurst on as replacement prop.
Morley's seven-man pack struggled to hold out against a series of scrums near their line. Eventually the Maroons were driven back over the line for Raine to claim his second try which Wood converted.
Morley's tackling became loose and rampant Penrith took full advantage to claim their sixth try in overtime by replacement James Ellar with Wood adding the goal to bring Morley firmly down to earth.
Penrith: Cartmel; Nattrass, Haley, Kerridge, Armstrong; Wood, Newton; Carr, Thornton, Dixon, Dawson, Preston, Johnson, Stephens, Raine. Subs: Pate, Ellar, Rumney.
Morley: Evans; Morgan, Frost, Ash, K Bradshaw; Chester, S Dadswell; Gabriel, Darbyshire, Benn, Stannard, Chamberlain, P Dadswell, Hewetson, Field. Subs: Brocklehurst, Burke, Smyth.
Referee: Simon Lazenby.
The second half was a marked contrast and nearly all Penrith with a few brief flurries from Morley in a poor performance which seemed to lack direction and cohesion.
In contrast to their previous game, Morley made a slow start and conceded a scrum on their '22.
When the ball came to home stand-off Steve Wood he put a crossfield chip into the path of Joe Nattrass, who gathered a favourable bounce and evaded two tacklers to score. Wood converted.
Morley then dominated, playing some good rugby. A storming break by Liam Frost took play to half-way and Chris Morgan continued the move to set up a strong period of pressure by the Maroons. Eventually Penrith strayed offside to prevent a try and the referee awarded a penalty try which Mark Chester converted.
Morley added further pressure and twice opened up the way to the line only to be recalled for forward passes.
The frustration showed and, after 24 minutes, Morley were twice penalised for speaking out of turn after a debateable decision and resulted in a scrum on their line.
Penrith's Mike Raine drove off the back and when the ball came to Wood he drew the cover and slipped a short pass to Gavin Cartmel who crossed from short range. The conversion was missed.
The league leaders were still dominating and Chester made a good midfield break. He was held but Sean Dadswell and Peter Dadswell moved the ball to Craig Field, who kept stepping back inside the cover to score with a strong run. The conversion by Chester put Morley 14-12 ahead.
Despite further domination by the Maroons, it stayed that way until the break and things looked good for the visitors.
All of which made the turnaround in the second half come as a complete shock. It started early when a Morley attack broke down on the Penrith '22 and the home side worked clear.
Once again back-chat proved very costly and the outcome was that the Maroons found themselves defending near their line.
Penrith opted for another scrum and Raine picked up and forced his way over for Wood to add the goal and from that stage the home side did not look back.
After 57 minutes a rare Morley attack created an overlap but a looping pass towards the wing was anticipated and intercepted by Penrith winger Tom Armstrong, who raced clear. Morgan got back to tackle but the home flanker Mike Stephens was in support and went in for the try and Morley trailed 24-14.
The Maroons brought on Sean Burke to replace Morgan and Will Smyth came on for Steve Hewetson.
Morley had prop Paul Gabriel shown a yellow card for coming into a maul from the side and Pete Dadswell went off to allow Luke Brocklehurst on as replacement prop.
Morley's seven-man pack struggled to hold out against a series of scrums near their line. Eventually the Maroons were driven back over the line for Raine to claim his second try which Wood converted.
Morley's tackling became loose and rampant Penrith took full advantage to claim their sixth try in overtime by replacement James Ellar with Wood adding the goal to bring Morley firmly down to earth.
Penrith: Cartmel; Nattrass, Haley, Kerridge, Armstrong; Wood, Newton; Carr, Thornton, Dixon, Dawson, Preston, Johnson, Stephens, Raine. Subs: Pate, Ellar, Rumney.
Morley: Evans; Morgan, Frost, Ash, K Bradshaw; Chester, S Dadswell; Gabriel, Darbyshire, Benn, Stannard, Chamberlain, P Dadswell, Hewetson, Field. Subs: Brocklehurst, Burke, Smyth.
Referee: Simon Lazenby.
