NORTHWICH moved out of their opponents’ reach after scoring five tries in the first half.

Their lead was large enough for Penrith’s rally after the interval not to cause too much concern and a fifth successive win closes them to within a point of a promotion play-off place.

They visit Douglas, the current incumbents, next.

Blacks dominated the opening exchanges at Moss Farm last weekend and took the lead when Richard Dale cut a perfect line through the visitors’ defence after the ball had been recycled from an attacking lineout.

Nick Baldwin kicked the first of six conversions.

Northwich added to their advantage from the restart when Sam Naylor fed Dale and he passed to Will Du Randt.

He stepped neatly inside and darted through a gap to score.

The home team did not stop there and Tom Clark’s forward charge following another lineout ended with Matt Ensor providing a perfect pass inside for Dale to dot down again.

Baldwin’s extras made it 21-0 with less than 15 minutes played.

It jolted Penrith, and Adam Howe collected scrum-half Ed Swale’s pass to put their first points on the board.

Nathan Wooff converted.

Northwich were not knocked off course though and captain Matthew Poste chipped over the defence for full-back Joel Barber to collect and score.

Blacks did not relent and Dale’s classy interchange with Barber, after Ensor had carried the ball into opposition territory, saw him complete a hat-trick.

Meanwhile Jamie McNaughton’s try at the other end cut the deficit to 33-12 at half-time.

Penrith’s most productive spell followed the interval and Jonny Wills ran half the length of the field to score a try that Wooff converted.

Baldwin missed a penalty kick before Matt Allinson applied a finishing flourish by forcing his way over the line in the corner, securing a bonus-point for the visitors.

However he was then sent to the sin-bin and Northwich exploited their advantage from the resulting penalty and Clark stretched over to score a try his individual display deserved.

Baldwin added the extras before Barber pierced the visitors’ defence again before off-loading for substitute Tom Husband to notch Northwich’s seventh try.

Baldwin’s conversion from long range put the seal on a third victory of the campaign at Moss Farm.

Blacks move ahead of Penrith, beaten now on four of their five away trips, in the standings as a result.

Northwich | Maddocks, Gough, Ridgway, Heywood, Ensor, James, Clark, Naylor, Poste, Baldwin, Du Randt, Richard Dale, Underhill, Skinkis, Barber Replacements Husband, Bennett, Lapniewski Tries Richard Dale (3), Du Randt, Barber, Clark, Husband Cons Baldwin (6)

Additional reporting by Steve Wood