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Keswig Lakers U16 V St Benedicts. Sunday 19th October 2025
Emma Benson21 Oct - 16:36
The Lakers second county cup match was eventually played on a drizzly Sunday afternoon in Keswick.
A very well deserved win and great to the Lakers bonding so well and enjoying their rugby.
- Coach Andy Wallace
After a couple of dates were arranged and then rearranged due to St Benedicts players still being involved in Rugby League games, The Lakers second county cup match was here.
The first 15 minutes saw a few early handling errors being made as the two teams sized each other up but it didn’t take The Lakers long to suss out where their strengths lay as they dominated in the ensuing scrums and breakdowns. When they were awarded a penalty 5m from the St. Benedicts try line they didn’t hesitate in calling for the scrum, from which, with the Bennies scrum creaking, Seth Relph broke from the back and bundled over for the first converted try of the game.
St. Benedicts struggled in the breakdown and racked up a substantial penalty count, while The Lakers used that to their advantage and carried strongly close to the ruck, using the blindside well at times to work their way down field and into the opposition 22. In the main the Bennies pack managed to control the ball well in the scrums which were going backwards at pace but on this occasion The Lakers scrum took the ball against the head and seven well controlled phases later, Edison Hutton scored from a pick and go to give the home side a 12-0 lead which they took into half time.
A good kick chase and a well organised defence from The Lakers pinned St Benedicts in their 22 from the restart and as they tried to run it out some solid low tackles enabled The Lakers jacklers to get on the ball and turn it over. Again, the attack was well orchestrated as the big ball carriers worked the ball open for a couple of phases and noticing the Bennies players over folding, the ball was sent blind where Stan Finn found space after a couple of slick passes, steaming in under the posts after stepping expertly inside the covering fullback.
The Lakers forth try again came from a penalty scrum option taken in the opposition 22. A pick blind off the back, a strong carry off 9 and then two pick and goes saw Ben Grosset cross the whitewash to give the home side a 24-0 lead.
St Benedicts scored out wide through their backs shortly after the restart, but The Lakers were comfortable for the remaining 10 minutes of the game to see out a well-deserved win by 24 points to 5.
While Bennies undoubtedly had some strong players The Lakers worked as a team and put pressure on in defence to never let them get going – something that had been worked on over the previous couple of training sessions and was pleasing to see. They also identified where their strengths lay early on and played to them, putting some really well worked passages of rugby together.
The first 15 minutes saw a few early handling errors being made as the two teams sized each other up but it didn’t take The Lakers long to suss out where their strengths lay as they dominated in the ensuing scrums and breakdowns. When they were awarded a penalty 5m from the St. Benedicts try line they didn’t hesitate in calling for the scrum, from which, with the Bennies scrum creaking, Seth Relph broke from the back and bundled over for the first converted try of the game.
St. Benedicts struggled in the breakdown and racked up a substantial penalty count, while The Lakers used that to their advantage and carried strongly close to the ruck, using the blindside well at times to work their way down field and into the opposition 22. In the main the Bennies pack managed to control the ball well in the scrums which were going backwards at pace but on this occasion The Lakers scrum took the ball against the head and seven well controlled phases later, Edison Hutton scored from a pick and go to give the home side a 12-0 lead which they took into half time.
A good kick chase and a well organised defence from The Lakers pinned St Benedicts in their 22 from the restart and as they tried to run it out some solid low tackles enabled The Lakers jacklers to get on the ball and turn it over. Again, the attack was well orchestrated as the big ball carriers worked the ball open for a couple of phases and noticing the Bennies players over folding, the ball was sent blind where Stan Finn found space after a couple of slick passes, steaming in under the posts after stepping expertly inside the covering fullback.
The Lakers forth try again came from a penalty scrum option taken in the opposition 22. A pick blind off the back, a strong carry off 9 and then two pick and goes saw Ben Grosset cross the whitewash to give the home side a 24-0 lead.
St Benedicts scored out wide through their backs shortly after the restart, but The Lakers were comfortable for the remaining 10 minutes of the game to see out a well-deserved win by 24 points to 5.
While Bennies undoubtedly had some strong players The Lakers worked as a team and put pressure on in defence to never let them get going – something that had been worked on over the previous couple of training sessions and was pleasing to see. They also identified where their strengths lay early on and played to them, putting some really well worked passages of rugby together.
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