Fleetwood 21 Keswick 31

The top of the table clash between Fleetwood and Keswick on Saturday pitted 2 evenly matched teams against each other. On a wet and heavy pitch both sides attempted to play a similar style, using the forwards to drive upfield before attempting to use the strong wind to kick for position. This tactic was more successful for Fleetwood during the first half in that their heavier forwards were able to gain more distance in attack.

Fleetwood took possession from the kick off and after running the ball kicked for position, making use of the wind in their favour. The Keswick line-out was equal to the task and by driving forward caught Fleetwood off-side for the first of a number of penalties. An early penalty kick to the corner saw a Keswick line-out drive from 5 yards out stopped for an offside offence allowing Fleetwood to clear. Much of the first half consisted of similar play, both sides driving and kicking downfield. There seemed to be penalty after penalty for offside, mostly against Fleetwood, culminating in a successful kick by Muir after 12 minutes to give Keswick a 3 point lead. Both sides defended well and were able to prevent the opposition from making good use of the ball.

With both defences on form neither side looked like scoring until a Fleetwood player taking a pass in the Keswick 22 fumbled the ball and in regathering it was able to step inside and score a try to the left of the posts, converted to give Fleetwood a 7-3 lead after 32 minutes. Keswick restarted badly, gifting possession to Fleetwood who responded only 3 minutes later with another converted try in a similar position, this time resulting from poor defensive play and poor ball retention meaning the home team had a handy 14-3 lead at half-time, despite a spirited and immediate response by Keswick.

The second half continued in a similar mode, Fleetwood continued to give away penalties allowing Keswick to kick deep and retain possession. From one of these penalties inside the opposition 22 Keswick took a quick tap, running the ball right for Muir to crash over for a try, which he was unable convert, 14-8. Just as Fleetwood had in the first half, Keswick scored again almost straight away, a poor kick and chase from the kick off allowed Keswick to make inroads into the Fleetwood 22 for Weir to take the final pass and touch down to the left of the posts. This time the conversion was successful putting Keswick ahead again, 14-15. A poor restart kick and later 22 drop-out gifted possession to Fleetwood who were unable to take advantage as they continued to be penalised.

Penalties continued to dog Fleetwood, who gave away about 4 times as many as there were scrums, and this helped to relieve the pressure on Keswick as well as give them field position and possession. Some 18 minutes into the half a penalty gave Muir another opportunity, which he took to give Keswick a 14-18 lead. It was after this that Keswick had their first scrum put-in at only the fourth scrum of the game, but immediately gave away a free kick. At this point the game could have gone either way as the teams were well matched, until poor defence after a scrum allowed Weir to cross after 28 minutes to score a try, again unconverted to take the score to 14-23. Fleetwood did not give up and it took good defence to keep them out, though again, giving away penalties was their undoing. One of these after good driving play by Keswick allowed Muir to extend the lead to 14-26 as the game entered the final stages.

However, all was not over, as a kick through by Muir allowed Vaillant to hack on and win the chase to the line for Keswick’s fourth try, gaining a bonus point. The try went unconverted so the lead stayed at 14-31. Fleetwood still did not give up and continued to attack at every opportunity. A drive up the right hand side was met by solid defence but the pressure eventually told and from a Fleetwood scrum on the Keswick line their number 8 was able to pick up and drive for a converted try, the last move of the game, for a 31-21 final score.

This was a solid performance by 2 evenly matched teams whose packs were about equal, whose tactics were similar and whose backs took every opportunity to run with the ball. The main difference was in the number of penalties Fleetwood gave away, making life easier for Keswick. Whilst the result cements Keswick at the top of the league, it is still early in the season and this is a match that both teams could have won.