IN perfect conditions and with the sun-draped Lakeland hills providing the backdrop, the setting at Penrith's Winters Park was a good deal more attractive than the rugby.

But Mark Sowerby's third-placed Huddersfield side ground out an important third North I double of the season to stay in the hunt for a promotion play-off spot.

Huddersfield were weakened by the non- availability of first-line reserves.

But it would be unfair to those who put their bodies into the gaps, notably prop Lal Chatha, once again persuaded to travel from the Midlands to help out, and James Swift, at full-back, to call this a depleted team.

Add to this a normally reliable kicker having an off day and a scrum half in the sin-bin at a crucial point of the game, and victory was a fine achievement.

With both clubs on a roll only two points separating them in the table, this was always going to be a tough one, and so it proved.

Yet again Huddersfield met a stronger, heavier pack and succeeded with a display of real character, although on this occasion the victory margin was scant.

At times attrition slipped into acrimony, and Chatha received regular attention to a damaged nose.

The early pressure came from Huddersfield, during which stand-off Chris Johnson uncharacteristically failed with a penalty.

The first fracas came after only nine minutes, the referee calming matters with a lecture to both captains.

The Penrith forwards began to look strong, driving Huddersfield back at ruck, maul and on their own scrum, but the defence held.

Prompted by their stand-off Steve Wood, who had a fine first half, Penrith threatened with some well-executed drills, but Huddersfield showed enterprise of their own, lock Thiu Barnard being stopped just short after good play by flanker Mark Whitehead and winger Alex Shaw.

A failed clearing kick to touch brought pressure back upon Huddersfield and from a drive by Penrith's forwards, Wood placed a perfect chip into ingoal, the bounce eluding the defence for centre Denis Bibby to open the scoring with an unconverted try after 35 minutes.

Johnson failed with a second penalty attempt before Huddersfield replied four minutes later with an excellent try, winger Ollie Wickett touching down after a sweeping move involving slick handling between Mark Whitehead, centres Ben and Lee Paxman, and Shaw.

Johnson just missed the conversion from touch.

Johnson missed with a third penalty in injury time to close a very even and fiercely- contested first half.

Penrith made a powerful start to the second period and established the pattern for the remainder of the game, with Huddersfield only rarely clearing play out of their half. One such excursion saw Johnson fail again with a penalty after 46 minutes.

But a fine kick from scrum half Damian Clayton set up a position from which Johnson redeemed himself with a dropped goal, and Huddersfield had their noses in front.

Forced back into desperate defence, they then lost Clayton to a yellow card, Ben Paxman moving to scrum half, and they had to raise their game once again, gaining some relief when their line was crossed after 75 minutes, only for the referee to judge that the ball had been held up.

Penrith's resolve against 14 men seemed to weaken at this point and Huddersfield made some downfield progress for Johnson's kicking to finally come good.

He landed a penalty on the point of normal time, then another in injury time to put the issue beyond doubt.

Penrith: Young; Swale, Bibby, Armstrong (Siddle, 46), Hetherington; Wood (Hall, 61), Slack; Simpson (Thompson, 52), Taylor, Lund, Dawson, Lowes, Raine, Stephens, Murray.

Huddersfield: Swift; Wickett, Paxman (B), Paxman (L), Shaw; Johnson, Clayton; Stringwell, Gough, Chatta; Hinchliffe, Barnard, Pratt, Sowerby, Whitehead. Subs: Rotchell, Carter, Davies.