New Penrith bosses optimistic as new season draws closer
Jim Nichols and assistant Alan Inglis are preparing the side for the start of a new Division One campaign.
Penrith's young side performed encouragingly in drawing 1-1 with Workington Reds in last weekend's friendly, and on Saturday they host Charnock Richard in another pre-season game.
Inglis told the News & Star that he and Nichols were pleased with what they have inherited so far.
'We've been really looked after by everybody at Penrith, and with the team, we've managed to keep the majority if not all of the ones that we were really targeting to keep,' he said.
'A number of our more experienced players have been on holiday – the likes of Luke Hunter and Connor Hammell – so they're missing chunks of the pre-season, but we're really, really happy with what we've got.
'We've got two more friendlies, a few more training sessions, and the lads are working really hard.
'Then it's a case of us all looking forward to that first game of the season.'
Nichols replaced Darren Edmondson at the helm this summer, and Penrith battled well to hold Edmondson's new club Workington last time out, with DJ Taylor cancelling out Steven Rigg's opener.
'It was really positive,' added Inglis. 'What we've identified straight away is how young our team are. There's nobody over 27 or 28, and the majority aren't over 23, so it could have been a long afternoon, but they worked so hard.
'The tempo that they put in was pleasing, so was the effort that they put in, and when they got the opportunity to get it down and play, we were able to do so.
'Because of their work rate, because of how well-drilled the boys were, and how well they worked for each other, we limited them to very little, really.
Penrith held Workington Reds to a 1-1 draw last weekend (Image: News & Star)
'With a young side, it's always the worry that if you concede one, it can go to two and three quite quickly, but it didn't, and it was good to be able to weather that storm for a couple of minutes, and then get ourselves back into the game.'
The Bonny Blues fielded Carlisle United goalkeeper Thomas Randall against Workington, and are weighing up a work experience loan move for the teenager.
Penrith's league campaign starts on Saturday, July 26 with a trip to West Auckland Town.
The Cumbrian club, meanwhile, have been handed a trip to Pickering Town in the FA Cup extra preliminary round on Saturday, August 2. The winners will host Easington Colliery or Boro Rangers in the preliminary round.
Fellow Northern League Division One club Carlisle City go to Marske United in the extra preliminary round, and will then face a trip to either Whitley Bay or Heaton Stannington if they progress.
The FA Vase first round qualifying sees Penrith go to Campion, with the winners at home to Padiham or Sunderland RCA.
There is a Cumbrian derby in the preliminary round of the FA Youth Cup, meanwhile, with Workington hosting Penrith. The winners will host Spennymoor Town in the first round qualifying.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Accountancy firm team completes 'brutal' Lake District challenge
A team of accountancy firm professionals has earned praise after completing a demanding endurance challenge in the Lake District. Accountancy firm Armstrong Watson, which has offices in Carlisle and Penrith, finished 19th out of more than 60 teams in the UK Challenge, a three-day corporate team-building event, and its highest-ever placement as a first-time competitor. The 2025 challenge took place in the Lake District from July 10 to 12, with teams tackling a 'gruelling' mix of running, cycling, kayaking, and mentally taxing puzzles under intense 30C heat. The 2025 challenge took place in the Lake District earlier this month (Image: Armstrong Watson) Michael Morris, audit and assurance partner at Armstrong Watson and team captain, said: "We all had lots of fun, and despite the sheer and at times brutal stages in intense heat, we won't ever forget this experience. "It was the most challenging event I have taken part in over many years of entering various Iron Man competitions across the world and it was made harder as we didn't quite know what to expect. "A huge thank you and well done to the team, all of whom individually brought a unique dynamic to the overall team, strategy, planning and most importantly the skill, fitness and energy they brought to every stage. "We were also supported logistically and encouraged throughout by Stephen McCullough, who was by our side at all times." Armstrong Watson finished 19th out of more than 60 teams (Image: Armstrong Watson) Representing Armstrong Watson were Mr Morris, Kim Kreutle, and Michael Stewart from the Newcastle office; Jess Richardson from Penrith; and David Harper and Holli Coulthard from West Cumbria. The team was supported throughout by Stephen McCullough, the firm's marketing and business development partner. The UK Challenge, now in its 36th year, is designed to push participants to their physical and mental limits while building trust, communication, and problem-solving skills. The event began at 6am each day and often ran past midnight, leaving participants with little rest as they navigated through some of the Lake District's most iconic and demanding landscapes. Paul Dickson, CEO and managing partner of Armstrong Watson, praised the team's efforts and the significance of their achievement. He said: "We are incredibly proud of our team for taking on the UK Challenge with such enthusiasm, grit and teamwork. "Finishing 19th in a field of seasoned competitors is a fantastic result and a reflection of the values we hold at Armstrong Watson – passion, trust, honesty, and humanity. "Events like this not only build physical and mental resilience but also strengthen the bonds that make our people and our business stronger." The Armstrong Watson team's debut performance ranked among the best of any first-time entrants. Organisers of the UK Challenge highlight its broader impact on participants and their workplaces, with more than 97 per cent of entrants reporting improved teamwork and communication as a result of the experience. The event aims to foster personal growth and professional development while encouraging teams to push beyond their perceived limits. This week, Armstrong Watson, which operates across the North of England and Scotland, was named one of the top UK apprenticeship employers.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Latrell spotted in post-match moment as Souths situation goes from bad to worse
Latrell Mitchell was spotted consoling a devastated Jai Arrow after South Sydney crashed to a seventh-straight loss on Friday night - the most Wayne Bennett has ever conceded as a coach. The Rabbitohs went down 30-10 to the surging Panthers, and had Keaon Koloamatangi added to their staggering injury list. Koloamatangi's ankle buckled underneath him when he tried to tackle Luke Garner in the second half, and he limped from the field in pain. The front-rower has been a shining light in an awful season for Souths, but he now appears likely for a stint on the sidelines. Mitchell will be lucky to play again this year after suffering a quad injury at training this week, while Cody Walker, Davvy Moale and Campbell Graham are in a similar boat. Souths have had the most games missed due to injury amongst all NRL clubs this year, and it's taken a heavy toll. Friday night marked the first time in Bennett's illustrious coaching career that he's suffered seven-straight losses, and he looks destined to finish in his lowest spot on the ladder ever. A Bennett-coached team has never finished lower than 13th, but Souths are sitting in 16th place with six games and a bye remaining. They're only two points ahead of the last-placed Titans, meaning Bennett is in danger of getting his first-ever wooden spoon. After Friday night's game, veteran forward Arrow looked devastated and buried his head into Mitchell's chest as his teammate consoled him. Mitchell was seen wrapping his arms around Arrow and offering some words of encouragement after another demoralising loss. "Our effort is second to none, but we have moments when we let teams off the hook," Jack Wighton told Channel 9. "It's usually late in sets and it's really killing us. But I'm proud of the boys for the effort." Wighton refused to use the injury crisis as an excuse, adding: "We could have been better tonight in many places, but we didn't throw the towel in. We've got some young kids and old boys. We haven't thrown the towel in and we're sticking in there for our fans, even though we're not getting the results." View this post on Instagram A post shared by NRL on Nine (@nrlonnine) Wayne Bennett can't fault effort of Souths players Bennett also said he was proud of the effort considering how many players are out. 'We're talking top players here as well (who are injured), but I was proud of their effort here tonight,' he said. 'We had to turn up and put a lot of effort in the game which we did, but there's no one that change-room in there that was disappointed with their effort.' RELATED: Broncos sign 'next Benji Marshall' from rival NRL club's backyard Crushing new blow for Knights as Melbourne Storm poach young gun As well as losing Koloamatangi, the Rabbitohs will also be without Peter Mamouzelos next week due to concussion. 'Pete will be out for a week at least due to concussion,' Bennett said. 'Keaon has got an ankle problem and we just don't know how bad it is.' Wighton admitted Koloamatangi is a huge loss as he's been the team's best all season. 'He's led the way massively but every man at the moment is a big loss isn't it?' Wighton said. 'We're backs against the wall and down on troops but we just keep on turning up.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
NRL fans all say same thing after Cleary's brutal call to axe Panthers Test player
Some of Ivan Cleary's controversial early-season selection decisions are starting to pay off for the Penrith Panthers - particularly the axing of young gun Casey McLean. The Panthers won their sixth game in a row on Friday night, adding more misery for South Sydney in a 30-10 thrashing. McLean had one of the best games of his young career, scoring two tries and setting up another for Dylan Edwards. The 19-year-old had seven tackle breaks and a line-break, and scored a stunning solo try in the second half in which he beat four Rabbitohs defenders on his way to the line. The teenager has seemingly cemented his spot in the Panthers' back-line after some hot-and-cold form at the start of the season saw him axed to reserve grade twice. McLean made his Test debut for New Zealand at the end of last year, and many thought he'd walk into the Panthers' first-grade side in 2025. But he started the season with some patchy form, and coach Cleary showed him some tough love by sending him back to NSW Cup. McLean had a three-week stint in reserve-grade between Rounds 9 and 11, and it's proven to be a masterstroke from Cleary. The coach sent McLean a message that he shouldn't be taking his spot in first-grade for granted, and it's paying off in spades. Since returning in Round 12 against Newcastle, the 19-year-old hasn't missed a beat and has been in superb form over the last month. Speaking last month, the Kiwi international revealed Nathan Cleary's words of wisdom that kept him on track after being axed. "He just says it's a journey. Not everything's going to be highs, so you've got to ride the lows as well," McLean said. "It's just all learning, you can't take things as negatives. You've got to take everything as a positive, find ways to improve, move forward." Ivan Cleary's selection masterstrokes paying off Ivan Cleary's brutal call to axe McLean in Round 9 has proven a masterstroke, as he's come back into first-grade on an absolute tear. And it's not the only selection decision he's got exactly right. Cleary copped some criticism early in the season when he predominantly kept off-season recruit Blaize Talagi in reserve-grade until Round 6. But that too has proven a genius move as it sent a message to the young five-eighth that he had to earn his spot. While Talagi didn't have his best game in attack on Friday night, he produced one of his better defensive displays. Cleary's decision to show faith in Thomas Jenkins has also paid off, with the winger having the best year of his career. And Isaiah Papalii had his best game in Panthers colours on Friday night after Cleary moved him into the middle - a decision that also proved controversial when fans couldn't work out why he wasn't playing second-row. RELATED: Broncos sign 'next Benji Marshall' from rival NRL club's backyard Crushing new blow for Knights as Melbourne Storm poach young gun On Friday night, fans were in awe of McLean's performance, and they can thank coach Cleary for lighting a fire under him. "CASEY McLEAN just keeps getting better and better with each game," wrote Peter Lang of the Western Weekender. Fellow journalist Ray Gatt wrote: "How good is Casey McLean? Future superstar." While a fan commented: "Dylan Edwards absolute freak tonight and Casey McLean keeps getting better, on to the next." Good to see him come around from that start of season form. Good resilience. — Holland Oates (@HollandOates91) July 18, 2025 McLean an absolute gun — young, confident, and best of all, no ego. Great example of this was against Critta and again tonight!!!! — John Candotti (@Cando1972) July 18, 2025 Garner has a very strong game. Can't believe we aren't trying to keep him. McLean is looking stronger and better every game. Imagine what another good off season could do for the kid. — David Crellin 🏆🏆🏆🏆 (@dave_crellin) July 18, 2025 Quick, skillful and can tackle as well. — Ray Gatt (@Gatty54) July 18, 2025 Incredible run from panthers Casey McLean, in closing stage of the game gets Panthers another try No doubt about it Panthers the winners with 2 mins left 30/6 over Rabs.🏉AFL 3rd quarter lions game 71/52 over dogs, Yep as we type Rabs score now 30/10 Panthers WIN FT.🏉🏉 — DEANJA🇦🇺 (@deanja110) July 18, 2025
