Keswick came agonisingly close to taking a five point bonus victory back to Cumbria from the North East at the weekend.
In the end, relegation rivals Stockton pulled off a minor miracle in overturning a substantial Keswick lead to take the match narrowly 24-22.
Stockton started the game strongly but against the run of play, after a mistake by the home centre, Chris Potter hacked the ball half the length of the pitch to score Keswick’s first try after quarter an hour.
Stephen Moss was unlucky with the conversion hitting the post.
Stockton came back at Keswick hard after the re-start and pressed the line but the Cumbrians’ defence held firm.
Another Stockton handling mistake on the half hour let Keswick hack the ball forward again for James Hinckley to score and give Keswick a 10-0 lead.
Stockton managed to pull the score back just before half time with a well worked converted try.
After the re-start the third quarter was all Keswick with strong drives from Mark Trow and Steve Moss supporting great running lines from Ryan Weir.
Stockton had no answer to Weir’s power and he stretched Keswick’s lead with a great solo effort quickly followed by another try with Weir making all the running and Stephen Moss backing up to cross the line.
A successful conversion took the score to 22-7 for Keswick.
It was at this point that a questionable decision by the referee to yellow card prop John Addyman and later centre Lewis Bell turned the game.
Stockton threw everything in to attack and Keswick defended stoutly but couldn’t stop Stockton running in two converted tries with conversions put over from the touch lines.
The final score came after Keswick conceded a penalty close to the posts which was put over to win the game.
It hadn’t quite been the end, though, as Keswick threw everything into attack with George Holme, Harry Vaillant and Dan Craghill all coming up inches short.
Keswick were the better team on the day but were ultimately beaten by an on-form kicker. The team face Middlesbrough in the next league game at Davidson Park for a noon kick off on Saturday.
