St Benedict’s lifted the silverware at the end of a thrilling match at the conclusion of the Counties One Cumbria rugby season, writes Ben Challis.
They defeated Keswick 2nd XV in a highly entertaining and often very physical battle at Lowmoor Road, home of Wigton rugby.
From the off, St Benedict’s used their strong, powerful and experienced pack to drive forwards into Keswick territory, but Keswick pushed back and in the early stages of the game it was clear Keswick’s fast running backs would be a problem for St Benedict’s.
So it proved when Keswick’s Ollie Green opened the scoring with a high speed jinking run up the right wing that sliced through the St Benedict’s defence for an unconverted try eight minutes in.
Seven minutes later, and after John McCoy had been held up on the line, Keswick doubled their lead after sustained pressure saw Brad Quail burrow through for a second try, again unconverted.
Keswick’s spell of dominance eased as the second half progressed and St Benedict’s began to look a real threat, and, despite two sin bins in quick succession, were adept at pushing Keswick back in the scrum and increasingly successful with line outs, with Aiden Pirie was a constant threat for St Benedict’s, and James Stanaway and Lewis Wood impressive both going forwards and blocking Keswick attacks.
With five first half minutes left on the clock it was Kurt Maudling who got St Benedict’s on the scoreboard, ending a barnstorming charge by twisting over the Keswick try line to touch down, with Pirie adding the conversion for 10-7, although Pirie was unsuccessful with a long range penalty attempt just before the break.
A second try from Maudling five minutes after the break saw Benedict’s take the lead after his surging run broke through the Keswick line, with Maudling dotting down under the sticks to a huge cheer, giving Pirie a simple conversion, and St Benedict’s a 14-10 lead.
The game now ebbed and flowed, with Keswick battling to regain the lead, but twenty minutes into the second half, and with Keswick reduced to 14 after a high tackle saw Pirie floored, it was two successive St Benedict’s scores that proved to be crucial.
Firstly Liam Cordin spotted the gap in the Keswick defence to dive in for an unconverted try, and five minutes later, with rain now drifting in, a sprint up the right wing saw Steven Caulfield add to that lead with an unconverted try, and St Benedict’s now had clear day light with the score line at 24-10.
Keswick had a mountain to climb, and while there were still 15 minutes on the clock, St Benedict’s experience in game management was now clear as they stifled any Keswick attempts to break through, although Max Carr speed almost put Keswick back in the game, but his right wing sprint was chalked off after his foot was adjudged to have gone into touch.
St Benedict’s now saw the game out and lifted the shield much to the delight of a large contingent of supporters who had travelled over from West Cumbria.
This was an excellent final, tough, competitive, physical and exciting, and a great advert for Cumbrian rugby union.
- St Benedict’s RUFC: Ben Strickland, Josh Jenkinson, Harvey Smith, Callum McGrady, Lewis Wood, Jack Murray, James Stanaway, Gary Gibbons, Liam Cordin, Fletcher Creasey, Steven Caulfield, Paul Cullean, Kurt Maudling, Andrew Middleton, Aiden Pirie, Ben Harrison, Jamie Jardine, Scott Telford, Declan McKenna, Evan Hodgson.
- Keswick RFC: Johnny Morland, James Hinkley, Tom Crosby, Ashton Quigley, Matty Atkinson, Christian Sellars, Jake Winter (C), Brad Quail, Lewis Pepper, Lewis Thompson, Liam Quail, Ollie Green, John McCoy, Frazer Murray, Ned Barnes, George Atwood, Jack Beament, Ollie Pepper, Chris Potter, Max Carr.
Referee: Dan Shovelton. Touch Judges: Mike Firby and Alistair Jones.
