A last-minute drop-kicked conversion earned Keswick a second bonus point as they went down 33-27 at home to Bolton.
Keswick are now third in North Two West, eight points clear of Winnington Park, but having played two more games.
Because Bolton had been unable to fulfil the original fixture in December, this away fixture had been moved to Keswick.
They were something of an unknown quantity, having blown hot and cold recently. They scored 41 points at home to Cockermouth three weeks ago but lost 85-0 at Warrington last week.
The first scrum, to Bolton, set the scene for all the scrums for the match, possession going with the put in as the packs were evenly matched.
Bolton spent much of the early game in the Keswick half, despite some good attacking running by the Keswick backs.
One such attack got Bolton into the Keswick 22 but a good strip in the tackle by Stephen Moss got the ball for the hosts.
It was kicked through for Chris Potter to chase and the bounce went his way as he caught it and ran through to score the first points of the match on 16 minutes.
When Potter caught a clearance kick and ran the ball back well the defence prevented further progress. It was at this point, on 23 minutes, that one player from each side was yellow carded after a fracas.
Both sides opted to kick for position but found that giving away possession led to having to defend strongly, though Keswick had the upper hand at this stage.
From a wheeling and under pressure scrum just outside the Bolton 22 Keswick ran the ball right and Ryan Weir, finding he had space to move, outran his opposite number to score an unconverted try on the right.
Just before half-time Bolton missed a penalty kick at goal but attacked from the drop out, forcing Keswick back over the dead ball line for a five metre scrum.
Under pressure Bolton picked up and passed the ball right for their winger to score a converted try in the corner.
Trailing 10-7 Bolton came out for the second half seemingly a new team and with only one minute of the half gone they ran the ball through their backs to score an unconverted try and take the lead.
Bolton put together some good phases of play, doing all the attacking and testing Keswick’s defence.
Clearance kicks were run back by Bolton successfully and the seeming relief of a drop out to clear on 55 minutes was short lived as Bolton ran the ball right from a scrum on the half way line to score a converted try on the right again.
A line-out drive by Keswick from five metres led to a penalty which was tapped and driven by the forwards for Aaron Thomson to score in the corner, but the conversion attempt came back off the cross bar.
It was 15-19 with 20 minutes left and Bolton’s response was to renew their attacking play.
When the visitors kicked through on 68 minutes, instead of dropping on the ball, the Keswick defender attempted to kick the ball clear, only for it to cross the goal line where a grateful Bolton player touched down for their bonus point try with a successful conversion.
Keswick’s attempts to reduce the deficit were spoiled only three minutes later as an interception in attack on the Bolton ten metre line gave them a clear run for their fifth try, again converted, and an 18 point lead with only nine minutes left.
A game with nothing to show for it seemed inevitable for Keswick but they did not give up and attacked at every opportunity.
A good run and drive on the left ended with Moss squeezing in at the corner on the left with the game almost over to earn a fourth try bonus point.
Keswick attacked immediately from the restart, again on the left, where Joe Bagnell was able to skirt the touch line and score in the corner. They were just one point short of a losing bonus.
Wanting to take the conversion attempt quickly to get a restart, Billy Thompson dropped for goal from the touch line and was successful to earn the second bonus point.
Only just, because there was no time for another kick-off.
