The West forwards were held up over the line three times in this spell and Penrith lost flanker Mike Stephens to the sin bin for repeated infringing but a combination of resolute defending and poor decision making from the visitors led to the inevitable sucker punch with Penrith scoring when they di eventually break free.
Penrith did begin in a lively fashion. Their pack may have been pushed around by West for most of the game but they have a lively set of backs who run the ball from all over the pitch.
They went ahead with a try on six minutes when West conceded a penalty close to the left touchline. Instead of taking a shot at goal fly half Steve Wood angled his kick for the far corner where winger Jon Fell beat West’s Steve Jones to the touchdown. Wood then converted form close to the line.
We did come back with two long range penalties from Stu Waites to make it 7-6 at half time.
The West pack then did its job in corralling Penrith on their own line from the restart, and a converted try then would surely have seen West coming home with the points.
Time and again we picked and drove only to be repulsed or held up.
The siege of Winters Park finally ended on the hour mark with a clearance punt but Penrith didn't get into the West 22 until ten minutes later.
Iinevitably they scored. Speedy full back Mike Hawley came into the line and two missed tackles saw him race in for converted try.
A dispirited West then let him do it again six minutes later to seal an unlikely win for the home side.
We did finally cross the line but it was in the 80th minute after Stu Waites slipped two defenders on the halfway line and sent in stand-in skipper Luke Watson from 40 metres. It wasn't mjuch of a consolation after what had gone before.
Penrith: M. Hawley, J Fell, G Young, N Warenock, E Swale, S Wood, B Littleton, L McDowell, J Thornton, G Carr, P Gardham, R Johnson, G Hodgson, M Stephens, M Raine. Reps: C Rumney, J Hogg, S. Harrison.
Tries: Jj Fell , M Hawley [2]
Cons: S. Wood [3].
Yellow: M Stephens
West: Ryan Painter, Peter Youll, Andrew Cheslin, Luke Watson, Steve Jones, Stu Waites, Andrew Foreman, Adam Coates, Andrew Dixon, Andrew Rollins, Andrew Davies, Michael Hogan, Nathan Myers, Jon Boatman, Stewart Grazier. Reps: Andy Robson, Ian Pinchen, Scott Butcher.
Tries: Watson [1]
Cons. Waites 1. Pens Waites [2]
Referee Dean Walker