Penrith and Pontefract did well to last the course in their North Two East clash at Winters Park as the conditions were atrocious.

That the game was completed was a credit to both sides who ensured that rugby was the real winner on a day when the proverbial dog would not have been let loose.

In the end Penrith collected two valuable points from a 24-17 victory against creditable opposition.

In the wet and wind the game started at a lively pace with Pontefract looking to run from everywhere and they had the first chance with a line-out on the Penrith line.

The home side defended well and then went close themselves. Steven Wood’s cross kick caught the defence out and Joe Nattrass' pace got him to the ball first. He hacked on only to be knocked off balance by the last defender with the line at his mercy.

Penrith went close from an attacking line-out on the Pontefract line but Wood lost the ball on the line.

Penrith then gifted Pontefract a try after 15 minutes. The Cumbrians won line-out ball on half way and Rob Dawson and David Preston made ground. But when the ball was fed to the backs, a dry weather miss pass went astray only to be gathered by the Pontefract centre who had a clear run in under the posts for a 7-0 lead.

The game was very open with both sides looking to run the ball and Penrith got the next scoring chance with a Wood penalty from 30 metres which he landed.

Penrith were now having the better of the exchanges and good work by the backs put them ahead on the half hour. A Wood miss pass was fielded by Martin Armstrong at outside centre; Wood was round in support to take the return pass and set Gavin Young away for the try. Wood converted.

Pen extended their lead after forcing a line-out on the Pontefract line. Another Wood cross kick was chased by Nattrass who forced the covering defender into touch. Penrith won the line out and put sustained pressure on the visitors line until James Stainton crashed over from five metres. Wood converted.

Penrith had their lead cut to 17-14 on the stroke of half time. A Pontefract penalty to the corner saw them force their way over from the resultant line-out.

The second half was much less eventful as the conditions worsened and both sides appeared to have punched themselves out in the first 40 minutes.

Penrith again had the better of things and threatened the Pontefract line whereas the visitors hardly threatened at all.

Penrith did extent the gap in the last ten minutes. Armstrong caught his opposite number on his 22 and turned the ball over. The Penrith pack rumbled towards the line and Ioan Lewis emerged to feed substitute scrum half Toby Slack who handed off the fullback to scramble in under the posts. Wood converted.

Pontefract came hard at the home side from the kick-off and forced them to concede a penalty which pulled them back to within a score at 24-17.

Penrith held out some-what nervously for 11 minutes of stoppage time for a well-earned, workman like victory.

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