Carlisle had their best single game reward of the season but are still looking for their first win.
They drew 31-31 in a lively and entertaining derby clash with Keswick at Warwick Road.
Both sides tested each other for the opening 10-15 minutes, but it became apparent that in the set piece Carlisle were going to have the upper hand.
It was, however, Keswick who put the first points on the board from a 30 metre penalty in front of the posts by Kieran Mewes just before the wind started to pick up.
Carlisle then scored the first try of the game from a scrum penalty five metres out. With Keswick having to defend their try line after a series of pick and go’s from the Carlisle pack, an infringement gave the Carlisle pack the opportunity to march their opposition back over the try line, Captain Josh Holmes dived over for the score converted by fly half Jason Israel.
Carlisle got their second 10 minutes later when fullback Jake Whittaker made a break down the left from out of our 22. Although brought down 10 metres inside the Keswick half, Israel floated the ball away from the back of the resulting ruck, to second row Jim Marston.
Sidestepping the first defender fly-half, Marston galloped away down the park and under the posts for Carlisle’s second, again converted by Israel.
At this point Keswick woke up and strung together some good passes for John Addyman to find space and score with Mewes converting for a 14-10 deficit at the break.
Carlisle must have still been congratulating themselves for their improved performance when the second half started, as Keswick quickly established territorial advantage.
Keswick took control scoring three converted tries from Mewse, Stephen Moss and Chris Potter and with 20 minutes to go Keswick had a 17 point lead and looked to be going home with maximum points.
But Carlisle proceeded to fight back with great spirit. Holmes and replacement Harrison Reay combined to drive through the Keswick defence, setting up field position deep inside the Keswick half.
With Carlisle winning a penalty five metres out, the resulting scrum drove forward and Tom Graham was able to drive over for Carlisle’s third try.
The Carlisle backs then combined to retrieve the ball and centre Ed Harper forced his way down the left before being dragged down five metres out.
Working the ball left the forwards gradually moved closer to the posts until a scrum was awarded to them. Again Carlisle took control and drove the Keswick pack back across their try line, this time for Carl Wills to ground the ball for the bonus point try.
As things turned out a fine charge down at the conversion by Chris Potter proved crucial.
This left Carlisle five points adrift at 26-31, with just five mins to go.
There was no panic by Carlisle, but with Keswick desperate to stop the hosts scoring again, that translated into a penalty, giving Carlisle a line-out ten metres out, with barely a minute on the clock.
With the home side securing ball and getting the opposition to engage in a maul, the pack drove forward and across the park nearer to the posts. As it collapsed in front of the posts, and with Keswick defending narrowly around the breakdown, the ball was spun wide for Lung to go through the gap and score.
Israel found the strengthening wind too much to land the conversion out wide, and the game ended with a share of the spoils for both sides.
