Kendal RUFC finally broke Penrith’s grip on the Cumbria Cup with a five tries to two win over Keswick RFC, writes Ben Challis.
However, Keswick, already confirmed for their league promotion play-offs, can be to proud to end the day as runners up in a well played final, giving very good account of themselves and putting in a gritty, battling and committed performance against a strong Kendal squad.
The final, played at Aspatria’s Bower Park was well attended despite the poor weather and the impending arrival of Storm Dave.
Strong contingents from both clubs had assembled by the time the match kicked off at 3pm and the vocal support for both teams was excellent.
It was windy, and as the match went on it became increasingly blustery, but the playing surface at Bower Park was in remarkably good condition despite the recent heavy rain.
From the kick-off, Kendal were on the front foot, and with 10 minutes on the clock Kendal took advantage of a penalty awarded against Keswick for a collapsed drive on the right wing.
Kendal restarted the drive five metres out and rumbled over with Robbie Kincart touching down for an unconverted try.
A try down, Keswick now lost the influential Glen Weightman to a rib injury, and losing the former Kendal player so early on was clearly a blow for Keswick.
It was obvious that Keswick had pace and individual flair, but Kendal hunted as a pack and scored as a pack.
Twenty-three minutes in Kendal’s Matt Houghton added their second try, diving over from short range, touching down under the posts and giving Evan Moir a much easier job of landing the conversion through the strong cross winds, and it was 12-0 to Kendal.
On the half hour Keswick were back in the game when an unstoppable Jack Tinkler put in a barnstorming charge, bursting through the Kendal defence to dive in for an unconverted try and 12-5.
Keswick’s Peter Weightman and Lewis Davis put in some big runs forwards, but Kendal defended well, and had the last score of the first half.
Having repelled a sequence of Kendal efforts, Keswick looked like they could get to the break just one score down, but sustained pressure paid off when Kendal moved the ball out wide to the right wing and Oscar Coxon released Dan Shorrock to sprint in and touch down, with Man of the Match Moir adding an impressive conversion for 19-5.
After a half time medical emergency requiring the attendance of an ambulance when a member of the audience collapsed in the stand, Kendal started the second half in the in the best way possible.
Alistair Thompson stole a loose ball to gain possession, with Keswick then giving away a penalty in an attempt to steal the ball back.
From the resulting line out the Kendal pack drove to the line and it was a second try for Kincart and a 24-5 scoreline.
Kendal were now looking the likely winners, and despite Keswick’s pacey backs having a number of courageous runs on both wings with Danny Price, Dan Craghill and Ryan Weir all making valuable yards, stout defence from Kendal meant that Keswick just couldn’t get to the Kendal try line.
With just 15 minutes left to play Kendal took advantage of another penalty line out to set up Kincart for his hat trick try, this one unconverted, and what now looked like an impossible mountain for Keswick to climb at 29-5 down.
A late charge by Craghill on the left wing saw the Keswick man floored by a high tackle some five metres out but again Keswick couldn’t make the penalty pay, but Keswick did get the final score of the game when a scrum set up Keswick captain Peter Weightman to touch down from a driving maul for 29-10 with seven minutes left to play.
The game was done and when referee Andrew Shaw blew for time Kendal could celebrate an excellent win with captain Ben Dixon lifting the trophy to the delight of his team mates and the Kendal support.
- Kendal: Ben O’Halloran, Dafydd Philp, Ben Dixon (C), Alfie Bradshaw, Dan Shorrock, Evan Moir, Aaron Stephens, Glenn Chesher, Robbie Kincart, Joe Anderson, Oscar Coxon, Dane Blenkharn, Alistair Thompson, Matt Houghton, Patrick Wolstenholme, Johnny Swallow, Ben Leacock, Tommy Scanlan, Evan Beattie, Liam Barr.
- Keswick: Dan Craghill, Ryan Weir, Ben Clark, Jack Tinkler, Danny Price, Glen Weightman, Matty Roper, Lewis Davis, Garry Holmes, John Addyman, Matty Atkinsion, Ashton Quigley, Lance Lake, Lewis Bell, Peter Weightman (C), Dan Allaker, Ally Hewett-Smith, Brad Quail, Oli Clark, Joe Allday.
Match officials: Andrew Shaw, Archie Harding, Jonny Watson and Martin Maughan.
