On the 1st XV travelled to Lowca, temporary home of St Benedicts, for what was anticipated to be a tight game. The sun shone brightly on a dry and wide pitch with a stiff breeze blowing down the slight slope. St Benedicts kicked off with the wind but quickly gave away a penalty, followed soon after by another, allowing Keswick to make progress into the home team half. From the kick to touch Keswick won the line-out and drove through the forwards, gaining a further penalty for collapsing the maul. From that line-out Keswick ran the ball infield where St Benedicts gave away a fourth penalty with only 4 minutes gone. Running left from the scrum a well-timed pass to Louis Cornforth was well finished off, as he scored an unconverted try in the corner for a 0-5 lead.

A wayward kick-off return by Keswick allowed St Benedicts to kick through but the wind took the ball too far and a drop out resulted. The drop out kick was well taken by St Benedicts and a good attack came to nought as the final pass was forward, preventing a certain try. However, trying to run the ball from the resulting scrum, Keswick were unexpectedly dispossessed and with the defence out of line St Benedicts were able to cross for a converted try, 7-5 after 10 minutes. Responding, Keswick made good progress, winning a penalty but the attempted conversion was unsuccessful. St Benedicts then made good use of the wind to try to keep Keswick in their own half. Good running breaks gave Keswick field position but they were unable to take advantage of their forays up the slope.

The 2 packs were fairly even matched, scums generally going with the put-in, with Keswick perhaps having the upper hand, but hampered by a clockwise wheel on almost every Keswick feed, putting the number 8 at a disadvantage that seemed to go unpunished. The wind was causing problems for Keswick in the line-out with a number of throw-ins correctly judged not straight and in the conditions a shortened line may have helped.

As the half progressed St Benedicts used the wind well, keeping Keswick in their own half. An attack through the backs on the right was well defended close to the line, and again when the ball was run left, both times coming up just short before an attempt through the middle faltered, giving Keswick possession at the scrum, which became a penalty as the St Benedicts prop collapsed the scrum. Handling for both sides seemed difficult, perhaps because of the cold, with the ball knocked-on frequently, but also with the penalty count against St Benedicts growing, more than one for a high tackle.

Losing the line-out from a penalty kick to the corner, Keswick caught the clearance kick and ran it back, winning a first, then a second, penalty close to the try-line. Opting for a scrum Keswick mauled the ball across the line but the referee judged the ball to have been held up and from that scrum the ball was passed out to Ryan Weir, who ran in from 15 metres to score an unconverted try on 34 minutes for 7-10.

After another high tackle penalty Keswick failed to find touch and St Benedicts were able to run the ball back, creating an overlap to score a converted try on the right to retake the lead, 14-10. Yet another 2 successive penalties as the half ran down resulted in a warning for St Benedicts and the half ended as the Keswick throw-in to a line-out on the opposition 5 metre line was judged not straight.

With the wind and slight slope in their favour Keswick kicked off the second half and at the first scrum pushed St Benedicts off their own ball to create an opening for the backs that ended with a penalty and yellow card for another high tackle. The penalty was successfully converted by Chris Highton to bring Keswick back within one point at 14-13 early in the half. From the kick-off St Benedicts came offside and Keswick were able to return to the opposition half of the field. Handling errors by both sides were evident and some kicks for position were over-hit, neither side retaining possession long enough to build a successful attack, with a number of scrums following in succession.

On 17 minutes an attack by St Benedicts was stopped on the halfway line where they were dispossessed and quick passing to Weir allowed him to run in from there to score under the posts, the try converted by Highton for Keswick to retake the lead 14-20. Further good attacks from Keswick, including one from Christian Sellars were unable to break the St Benedicts defence. It was now Keswick’s turn to give away successive penalties, allowing the opposition back into the away half for a rare foray. From a penalty St Benedicts were able to create an overlap and cross on the left for a converted try to take the lead back at 21-20 on 30 minutes.

Shortly after the restart a Keswick player was yellow carded which seemed ominous with the pressure St Benedicts had started to apply. However, the Keswick scrum was able to hold its own, even taking the ball against the head and winning a further penalty. Despite spending the last few minutes camped on the St Benedicts line Keswick were unable to make the final couple of metres and a final handling error gave a scrum that allowed St Benedicts to clear to the dead ball line and claim victory by the narrowest of margins.

This was a close game that could easily have gone either way and Keswick will be disappointed by the defeat. The penalty count is clear evidence of the side that was under the greater pressure.

Keswick 1st XV’s next match is at Cockermouth on Saturday. With the home fixture having been a win for Keswick by only 2 points just 6 weeks ago, and with Cockermouth going well in the league in fourth place, this promises to be a challenging match.