With Morpeth in fine form and lying second in the Regional Two North table, this was a game Keswick weren’t expecting to win, but, and for for a while, it was a very much a game they could win, or at least earn a bonus point, until injuries took their toll and the visitors grabbed a hard fought victory, writes Ben Challis.
The first five minutes of the game were action-packed, opening with Morpeth advancing down the right wing to within a couple of yards of Keswick’s try line, only for Keswick to gain possession and then be awarded a penalty for a foul on Dan Craghill who was tackled in the air whilst taking a catch.
Matty Roper wasted no time with his tap, releasing Ryan Weir who then set off at pace from his own half and sprinting down the right wing to touch down, with that try converted by Kieran Mewse.
The game then ebbed and flowed before Morpeth put sustained pressure on the Keswick try line. Keswick defended and defended well, but 15 minutes in key player Glen Weightman went down with a leg injury after jumping to block a kick from Morpeth’s Harvey Gillie, and after a delay, Weightman was carried from the field of play, clearly in pain.
There was little between the two sides, and Will Addyman was a force of nature pushing Keswick forwards, but Morpeth had the majority of possession and put points on the board from a penalty kick from Gillie on 25 minutes for 7-3.
Even with co-captain Aaron Thompson now also off injured, it was now Keswick’s turn to apply the pressure, and Keswick used a scrum deep into Morpeth territory to set up a driving maul which easily pushed back a faltering Morpeth defence for Jamie McKenzie to touch down, with this try again converted by Mewse.
It was nip and tuck, and Morpeth hit back with their own converted try, leaving the score a close 14-10 to Keswick at half time.
The second half saw Addyman added to the injury list, and slowly Morpeth gained the ascendency. After repeated close range attacks on the Keswick try line, with Karl Smythe sin binned and Keswick down to 14 men, even with despite stout defence, Morpeth’s Theo Gavaghan finally found a gap, and Morpeth took a 14-15 lead with his unconverted try.
With Keswick now on the back foot, and defending deep in their own half, Morpeth took a clear lead with a quick interception just 10 yards out and with the conversion now had a 14-22 lead.
They followed this up with another try for 14-29, but Keswick were not done, and a strong charge from Chris Potter was followed up by Henry Etisoy gaining valuable yards and Keswick gaining a penalty try when Mewse was denied a touch down when he was tackled running in for the loose ball.
The gap was still eight points, and with the clock ticking down Keswick ran out of luck, chances and time, and had to settle for a noble defeat.
After the game, Keswick coach Garry Holmes: said “We are extremely disappointed as a group. Once again we have competed well against one of the top four teams in the League for large periods of the game, but somehow come away with nothing.
“It was a great start to the game, firstly soaking up the pressure then creating an opportunity to score through really good transition from defence into attack. The injuries to Glen Weightman – his ankle, and we are waiting on the diagnosis – and then Aaron Thompson – to his neck – stalled our momentum as our leadership team had to be shuffled around mid-game.
“We were then disadvantaged when Karl Smyth was sent to the sinbin, leaving us with no regular lineout caller, and hit again when Will Addyman had to leave the field for medical assistance. In the second half we were caught playing too much rugby in our own 22, and Morpeth took advantage of that, showing why they are a top side in the league.
“The frustration ultimately fractured us on the day, and the bond we built before Christmas seemed to not be quite as strong on the pitch.
“It’s always tough coming back just four days into the New Year, but these are challenges we need to look overcome. We will go back to training and look to put these things right this week before heading to Consett, looking to close the gap to them as we chase sixth place in the League.
This Saturday, Keswick visit Consett who are one place above Keswick in the table.
