Keswick had to settle for a losing bonus point from a Regional 2 North trip to Stockton.
But it was a game that could well have gone either way as Keswick played well and can count themselves extremely unlucky only to come away with just the one point.
Stockton went into the game buoyed by the confidence gained from their recent away win at Cockermouth two weeks earlier.
After only a few minutes Stockton managed to push Keswick back into the 22-metre area where stout defence was not enough to prevent a try.
It came after the referee had awarded the home side a penalty and the subsequent conversion was successful.
From the restart Keswick proceeded to win the lion’s share of possession, effectively spinning the ball out wide through their backs and putting the home side under increasing pressure.
Finally, George Holme received a pass out wide, broke a couple of tackles and went over for a try in the corner. Kieran Mewse’s conversion was successful, impressive given the extreme heaviness of the pitch combined with the angle.
A few minutes later, Keswick were awarded a penalty, again out wide, on the opponent’s 10 metre line.
Even more impressive, given the distance and conditions, Mewse converted to give Keswick a 10-7 lead.
Stockton then put Keswick under extreme pressure, and eventually scored their second try after a period of last-ditch defence from the visitors.
Indeed, Keswick’s tackling was, for the most part, excellent throughout the match.
Stockton’s try was unconverted, and with Keswick missing two penalty opportunities in close succession, the half time score was 12-10 to the hosts.
The second half began well for Keswick with winger Danny Price gathering a loose kick-out of defence from Stockton, and using his considerable pace to easily beat two opponents, before making a good 25 metres.
He then passed out to Holme in close support and he covered the final 20 metres for a well-worked try in the corner, his second of the match.
Mewse was unfortunate with the resultant conversion attempt, hitting the post, but Keswick had the lead at 15-12.
With their tails up, Keswick then put Stockton under pressure from the restart, and from a scrum five metres from the try line, they brilliantly executed a back row training ground move between Steven Moss and James Benson.
The latter linked with Holme who went over for what would’ve been his third try of the match. Unfortunately the referee decided there had been an infringement by Keswick at the back of the scrum just prior to the move.
This proved a pivotal moment in the match because if the try had been allowed it would have given Mewse his easiest kick of the match and thus Keswick would’ve been ten points ahead approaching the final quarter.
This “let off” seemed to galvanise Stockton, who now produced their best rugby of the match, spinning the ball wide both ways through their backs and scoring an excellent try in the corner to take the lead at 17-15.
It was a this point that two things happened that most definitely did not help Keswick’s cause.
From the restart, Keswick tried desperately to put Stockton under pressure and gaining possession, passed the ball out wide to Price who proceeded to chip through the covering opposition backs, only to be tackled without the ball.
It was missed by the referee who then decided to penalise Keswick for appealing his oversight too vociferously.
From this penalty, Stockton kicked into the corner, putting Keswick under extreme pressure again. Keswick proceeded to defend their line stubbornly, however from a moment’s hesitancy on Stocktons part, Moss managed to brilliantly steal possession, but the referee adjudged him to have come from an offside position even though he and the Keswick players, were defending on the try line and he had come from behind that line.
Moss was sin binned for 10 minutes in the other key moment as the 14 men of Keswick were under increased pressure.
The home side managed a final surge for a try which was converted and that decided the match.
