So long as you’re ahead at the final whistle…
Keswick might well reflect on that as they only grabbed the lead at De la Salle for the first time three minutes from the end, and held on for a 17-15 win in North Two West.
At De la Salle’s request the game was moved from Keswick to Salford and, short of players through injury and unavailability, despite the second XV fixture being cancelled, only two reserves were available for the journey south.
The home pack was large and mobile with the ball in hand and their backs were fast and elusive. In comparison, the lighter Keswick pack made three changes, including a first senior game for one player.
From the very early exchanges it was clear that both sides were intent on attacking and it was likely that the better defence would come out on top.
After only six minutes Keswick’s attack was turned comprehensively when the final pass on the hosts’ 22 was intercepted and the Dela right wing was able to outpace the Keswick defence to score a converted try under the posts.
Dela’s game plan emerged, keeping the ball tight and using the larger forwards to drive round the breakdown and tie in the defence before releasing the backs to attack wide.
Despite their larger size the home team’s pack were unable to match Keswick in the set scrums and found themselves under pressure, more than once resorting to using their hands to get the ball back on their put in.
Some good Keswick attacks ended with the ball carrier isolated and either stripped of possession or failing to release and being penalised by a very competent and able referee.
Penalised at a scrum on the half-way line after 20 minutes, backchat by Dela saw them matched back ten metres three times to give Keswick a chance of three points but the kick missed and Dela were able to drop out.
Neither side seemed able to put together enough phases of play to make a meaningful try scoring opportunity. Kicks through by Keswick were not working, with the defence first to the ball. The only exception was Keswick’s best scoring opportunity so far when, despite a valiant effort to keep the ball in play, the touch judge flagged the ball carrier.
The half ended with two consecutive penalties to Keswick being kicked to the corner for an attacking line out. The second was judged not straight and the score remained 7-0 at half time.
Keswick’s first half scrum dominance continued in the second half, winning penalties at the first two scrums but despite attacking from a retreating scrum on 47 minutes, Dela’s right wing was able to outpace the Keswick defence to score an unconverted try to extend their lead.
Keswick’s attempts to run the ball wide almost cost them again as an intercepted attacking pass was knocked on.
Knowing they had the scrum advantage Keswick opted for a scrum at most penalties and on 57 minutes having done so 15 metres out, ran the ball from a driving scrum before forward pressure saw James Hinkley touch down to the left of the posts. Billy Thompson added the conversion to reduce the deficit to five points.
That deficit increased only five minutes later when Dela successfully converted a penalty for not releasing but it was after this that the home side’s indiscipline started to cost them.
Having spoken to their captain for the second time in five minutes, the referee gave a yellow card for a high tackle. Opting for a scrum at the penalty, five metres out, Keswick ran the ball left, won a penalty for offside and again took the scrum option, running the ball right and gaining a third penalty on the five metre line.
Opting again for a scrum, the ball squirted out at the back and quickest to react was scrum half Matty Roper, who darted round the blind side to touch down one metre in from the right hand touch. By now the drizzle was drifting across and in difficult conditions Thompson slotted his second conversion to reduce the deficit to a single point with 13 minutes left.
By now the result could have gone either way. Keswick’s passing was starting to let them down and indiscipline, this time from another high tackle, gave Dela their third yellow card just inside their 10-metre line, centre field.
With three minutes left the ball was handed to Thompson who showed his ability by putting it between the uprights and Keswick were ahead for the first time.
From the restart Dela had the put-in to a scrum on the Keswick 22 but it went down and during the reset talking back changed the scrum to Dela to a penalty to Keswick who tapped and kicked to touch to end the game..