Wigton 13 Keswick 18

Wigton and Keswick played out a close and challenging match on Saturday, with the result in doubt until the final minute. This was a well contested and exciting game between 2 very well matched teams. The group of loyal supporters who travelled to Wigton saw an immediate response by Keswick to a deep kick off by Wigton, getting into the home 22 but ending up in touch 15 metres out. Taking the ball against the head at the line-out, Keswick ran left but were let down by a knock forward. Winning against the head at the scrum, Keswick attacked again but the Wigton defence was up to the challenge, helped by some wayward passing. A first, then a second, penalty to Wigton got them to within 5 metres of the Keswick line where the defence held firm against forward drives until a pop pass allowed Richard Moffatt to touch down in the corner for an unconverted try, 5-0 on 9 minutes.

On 15 minutes Keswick lost 2 players to injury, which had an effect on both scrummaging and back play, leaving only one player on the bench. However, they made good use of the penalties Wigton gave away to put pressure on, spending some time in the Wigton 22 but unable to make the final few metres until, from a retreating scrum, the ball was run left for George Holme to cross on the left for an unconverted try to level the scores at 5-5 after 17 minutes. Both sides resorted to kicking for field position but the wind was deceptive and a number failed to have the desired result.

Both sides attacked in similar fashion, using the forwards to make ground before releasing the backs and it was from one of these that the next score came. Pressing in the Keswick 22, Wigton were in the ascendancy but spilled the ball forward for Holme to gather and make a well timed pass to Ryan Weir who outpaced the defence to run in from some 70 metres for an excellent but unconverted try on 20 minutes, 5-10. Another bout of kicking ended with a tackle in the air and a yellow card for a Keswick player on 26 minutes, which Wigton took advantage of. Back in the Keswick half and with a man extra, they created an overlap for Lewis Plackett to score an unconverted try on the right to level the scores again at 10-10 on 30 minutes.

Despite being a player down and having lost a prop to injury, Keswick mauled well from line-outs and kept attacking the Wigton line, but were again let down by poor handling at the vital moments. Back up to full strength and in the ascendancy leading to half time, again the final passes went astray as Keswick maintained their attacking play, meaning it was all square at half time.

Wigton attacked from the restart, Keswick kicked to clear their lines and the played ebbed and flowed until a penalty gave Keswick the throw in to a line-out in the Wigton 22. Mauled well by the forwards and making progress they were told to use the ball by the referee and did so, running it right for Weir to score his second try, again unconverted, on 9 minutes for 10-15. Less than 10 minutes later, a penalty for not rolling away in the tackle in front of the posts allowed Wigton’s Dan Reed to cut the deficit to 13-15.

With a win possible either way, play became intense as both sides attacked and defended hard whilst endeavouring to avoid giving away penalties. However, both did concede penalties when attacking which allowed the defending side the chance to clear. Eventually pressure by Keswick in the Wigton 22 gave them a penalty advantage. Unable to cross the line they were brought back and opted to kick for goal with Brian Storey increasing the lead to 13-18 on 24 minutes.

Attacking play continued and Wigton put together a sustained period of ball retention and forward driving play, interspersed with allowing the backs to run the ball in the Keswick half, but were kept between the Keswick 22 and 10 metre lines. Eventually they crossed the 22 but knocked the ball forward at the critical moment, allowing the Keswick supporters to relax a little.

The situation then reversed as Keswick camped in the Wigton half, close to the 22, but again the defence was solid and the game ended following an exchange of penalties with Keswick on top 13-18. This was a game that could have gone either way and is a credit to both sides, neither of which deserved to lose.

On the Cumbria League One front, the first part of the season is almost over, with 2 more games to play (for Keswick home to St Benedicts and away to Whitehaven) before the top 4 play off for promotion and the bottom 4 to avoid relegation. All points scored in the first part are carried forward and all is still to play for. The top 3, Keswick, Aspatria and Cockermouth are now guaranteed top 4 and any of the chasing 3, Wigton, Whitehaven or Hawcoat Park could join them. Each team will play the other 3 in their half of the table both home and away, the games to be played from February to April. The eventual winners will be promoted and the team finishing bottom relegated.

On Saturday Keswick 1st XV are at home to St Benedicts, the only team to beat them in the League this season. They will be keen to do the double and will be smarting from losing by one point last week, so this will be another challenging game and well worth watching. The 2nd XV are also at home, to Leigh, 2 places above them in their league.