Having won the away fixture by a single point, Keswick anticipated a close encounter with Tarleton at Davidson Park and they were not wrong!
The match was exciting throughout and kept supporters of both sides entertained until the final whistle when Keswick led 21-18.
In the first half the wind favoured Keswick but it took them a while to make good use of it; Tarleton took advantage of the increased wind after the break but not enough to triumph.
Tarleton kicked off and an immediate knock forward by the Keswick receiver led to a Tarleton penalty which they kicked to the corner. Their forwards kept the ball tight from the line-out until, unable to cross the gain line they released the ball to their backs who ran it right to score an unconverted try after only three minutes.
In the early exchanges Keswick had the better of the scrums but found the kicks difficult to deal with as the swirling wind affected the ball in the air.
Two successive penalties to Tarleton eventually gave them the option of a kick at goal from 15 metres out and they duly converted the second.
Things were not going to plan for Keswick at this stage as handling was proving difficult and the line-out throw was misfiring. They had their first chance from a scrum when picking up at the back and driving over but, not for the first time this season, were unable to ground the ball and Tarleton dropped out from the goal line.
It was a quarter of the way into the match, following three successive penalties, that Billy Thompson was able to get Keswick onto the score board, converting from 25 metres.
That was followed shortly after by a high tackle penalty just inside the 22 and Keswick’s score was doubled by Thompson.
Having weathered a difficult first 15 minutes, Keswick had gained some composure and momentum, taken advantage of the wind behind by kicking through, and were more accurate in their handling.
A third penalty opportunity on 28 minutes was unsuccessful but only two minutes later a Tarleton line-out in their 22 ended with a penalty against them and, with scrum ascendancy, Keswick opted for the scrum, driving over from short range.
However, foul play by the defence prevented a touchdown so the referee awarded a penalty try and Keswick were in the lead for the first time.
Continuing to lose possession to Tarleton in the line-out, where their front jumper was in impressive form, Keswick lost another opportunity from five metres out and Tarleton kicked to clear.
As Keswick ran the ball back the visitors’ defence gave away a penalty seven metres out and Thompson was able to extend the lead to 16-8 which was held to the break.
Keswick kicked off into a strengthening wind in the second half and Tarleton immediately made use of their wind advantage. Again Keswick had been caught napping in the early minutes of a half.
An excellent break through the centre was stopped by a last ditch tackle in front of the posts by Joe Bagnall but the ball was recycled and driven to the line for an unconverted try.
Injuries had forced a couple of changes for Keswick, including positional changes, but it was now Tarleton’s turn to find that the line-out was not going their way, though they gained the upper hand in a couple of scrums due to Keswick’s enforced changes.
A run down the left into the Tarleton 22 ended with a yellow card for one of their players and despite being pushed back in the scrum Keswick ran the ball left for Chris Potter to widen Keswick’s lead by touching down in the 57th minute.
Tarleton attacked from a five metre line-out but just when it seemed they would be able to drive over, they were pinged for ‘truck and trailer’ and Keswick cleared.
As the game entered the final ten minutes another attacking line-out on their left saw Tarleton drive for the line and this time their forwards crossed for their second try. The conversion went left and Keswick were just three points ahead which they held to the end.
