Keswick fell to an agonisingly close and ultimately vey unlucky loss to league leaders Northern in Regional 2 North, writes Ben Challis.
They had managed to claw back a deficit, take a narrow lead, extend it and then lost out to a penalty try in the very last minute in a mud wrestle at Davison Park.
Before the match, Keswick paid their respects to Keswick Rugby Club stalwart Richard Standring who had died that morning at Keswick Cottage Hospital after a long illness.
He was described as inspirational, a lovely man, true gentleman and as someone who would be very much missed.
Richard was an honorary life member who played more than 500 games for the club, and most recently had been a huge supporter of the successful Big Build project and was very proud of the new clubhouse.
Northern started well and scored with a try on the right wing from their very first set just two minutes in, with an impressive conversion giving the visitors a 0-7 lead.
Keswick got points on the board with a penalty from Kieran Mewse for 3-7, but Northern went ahead again from a powerful maul, crashing over for their second try to establish a 3-12 lead.
With just nine minutes gone, it looked like being a challenging afternoon for the hosts, but whilst Northern were big and powerful, and won all but one of the first half line outs, their early dominance in the scrum faded, and Keswick began to look at least their equal, and got right back into the game, defending well with Dan Craghill, Marky Trow and Danny Price just three of the defenders putting in some brave tackles, and with two more penalties from Mewse Keswick edged the score back to 9-12 at half time.
As the rain hammered down onto an already soaked pitch, the second half saw Keswick take the lead on 65 minutes when a speculative but clever cross field kick forwards from Mewse saw Hayden Holmes win the sprint to the line down the right wing and Holmes just managed to pounce on the ball before it went over the touch line and inches before it went dead.
That try went unconverted but it was now 14-12 to Keswick. Keswick applied pressure on the Northern try line, Peter Weightman was blocked on the line, and a good cross field passing move which was aimed at Ryan Weir who looked clear on left wing was stalled by a last ditch fumble.
Jamie Wilson had a fantastic charge through the middle of the Northern defence, but was unsupported, and was brought down just shy of the try line, before another penalty goal from Mewse saw Keswick extend that lead to 17-12 much to the delight of the vocal and partisan crowd.
Mewse almost extended the lead again, but his drop goal attempt bounced back off the cross bar. It looked like Keswick might have the win, but Northern were not done.
They drove down the field and set up a up a driving maul with a minute to go.
They got to the Keswick try line but the grounding was in doubt: Keswick players and supporters alike thought referee Simon Baker had deemed the ball held up, only for the referee to then award a penalty try with Lewis Bell adjudged to have come in from the side.
The restart was a formality with no time left. It was last-minute heartbreak for Keswick, last-minute delight for Northern.
After the match head coach Garry Holmes said: “We started slowly, gifting 12 points in the opening exchanges.
“We have done this for the last two weeks and it’s something we need to change.
“We have developed a squad capable of challenging the teams at the top of the league, which is unchartered territory for us.
“Although the result is frustrating, we are always right in the fight until the end of games on a weekly basis.
“I think it’s important to reflect on where we were, where we are now, and look at where we want to be. For me, we are still on an upward learning curve and in 12 months’ time I am sure we will be seeing games like this one through for a win.
“We now take stock and plan for Sunderland who are unknown to us, but reports suggest we will be facing a very physical team on their home turf.”
Northern stay top of the League with the win (43 points), and Keswick drop down to fifth place (31), In other results, Aspatria’s surprise 12-11 home win over Sunderland leaves the top five all within reach of each other with Sunderland now fourth (32), with Consett (33) third after a home win over Guisborough (33) and Percy Park (35) now up to second after their away win over Morpeth, and with West Hartlepool and Upper Eden level on 29 points in sixth and seventh place.
Workington Zebras 15 v 14 Keswick Cumbria 1
There was further heartbreak in Workington where Keswick were just one point short of at least a draw with the Workington Zebras in Cumbria 1.
With a scoreless first half, this was a very closely contested and hard fought game between two evenly matched sides, played in wet and windy conditions.
The Zebras took the win on the back of two tries, with one converted, and one crucial penalty kick. Keswick’s reply of two tries from Jamie Black and Sam Holt, with two Ste Holloway conversions, left a one point deficit.Â
Workington won the game by the narrowest of margins and by capitalising on Keswick’s mistakes, in particular Keswick knock-ons, and making ground with strong forwards play.Â
It was also another day of surprise results in the league, with previously undefeated league leaders Carlisle beaten by Whitehaven 21-19 and with Carlisle now knocked off top spot by Hawcoat Park who were awarded a home walk over after Penrith again failed to field a team.
Kirkby Lonsdale are in third place after a 8-40 away win at Ambleside, St Benedict’s are into fourth place after a close 13-10 home win over Egremont, and Cockermouth fifth after romping home 10-53 winners at Windermere.
Millom finally got a win, again by just one point, with a 27-28 victory at Creighton.Â
Saturday December 6
- Sunderland RUFC v Keswick RFC Regional 2 North
- Keswick RFC v Whitehaven RUFC Cumbria 1
