Broughton Park 68 Keswick 10

An injury depleted First XV travelled to Broughton Park on Saturday to face a team once coached by John Burgess, who coached North West Counties to their famous victory over the All Blacks at Workington in 1972. In almost ideal playing conditions his legacy was apparent from the moment Keswick kicked off into the wind but with the sun behind them.

The first attack was from Broughton Park from the back of a scrum but was defeated by a good Keswick defence and they knocked on. Under pressure in the scrum from the start Keswick used channel one, picking up at the back quickly and trying to run the ball, occasionally kicking through. Park opted to run the ball, driving Keswick back with their larger forwards to gain momentum first then kicking through to put the ball behind the Keswick defence.

Keswick’s line out worked well at first, disrupting the Park throw in on the 22 to clear to the 10 metre line, but Park were quick to run the ball back and use the wind to kick to the corner. That tactic worked well for them on 6 minutes when they won a Keswick line out on the 5 metre line to scramble across the line for the first try, converted for 7-0. It wasn’t long before Park were able to push Keswick off their own ball in the scrum to take the score to 12-0 on 10 minutes.

The Park tactic of using their forwards to break the line then releasing their backs proved successful with the Keswick tacklers unable to prevent the ball being passed out of the tackle. When Keswick did have possession the speed of the Park defence quickly put paid to most attacks, especially when trying to break from the back of the scrum. Penalties helped Keswick get into the Park half but the defence was such that progress was difficult. On 20 minutes a line out steal by Park saw them kick through and chase but Keswick were first to the ball across the try line and had a 22 drop out to clear.

A pick up at the back of a scrum by Stephen Moss saw the ball passed to George Holme then Danny Price who between them made good progress but the kick and chase was won by Park. Another good attack by Keswick ended with possession lost on the Park 10 metre line, from where the home side were able to run through the Keswick defence to score a converted try on 25 minutes for 19-0. Keswick were finding the speed of the Park play difficult to cope with and their ability to always have a player on hand to receive the ball when the carrier was tackled made a difference.

A penalty kick to the corner by Park allowed them to win their line out and maul across for an unconverted try on 35 minutes, taking the score to 24-0. Another score was prevented by a last minute tackle on a Park prop just short of the line allowing Keswick to clear. Just before half time a not straight line out by Keswick gave Park a scrum in the Keswick 22. They ran the ball left and the referee awarded a try in the corner but changed the decision to a penalty try for a high tackle, 31-0. There was still time for Keswick to mount an attack and from a line out take by Carrick Wharmby from a penalty in the Park 22 they mauled almost to the line, with a penalty advantage. Awarded the penalty again they were still unable to cross the try line and the whistle went for half time.

Just 3 minutes into the second half a forward pass was missed and the Park left wing was able to run up the touchline for an unconverted try in the corner, 36-0. On 44 minutes a Keswick player was yellow carded for dissent which didn’t help the situation, with Park creating an easy overlap from a scrum 2 minutes later to score their sixth try, the conversion attempt coming back off the upright, 41-0. One minute before Keswick’s offending player came back on a Park player was yellow carded for leading with the shoulder when joining a ruck. Despite being a man down their centre was able to break 3 tackles from 10 metres out to extend their lead further, 46-0 on 56 minutes.

It is to Keswick’s credit that we didn’t give up and kept attacking when we could. However, Park recycled the ball quickly at the breakdown on 4 consecutive tackles which put Keswick on the back foot and having created an overlap they scored another converted try on 59 minutes for 53-0. Finally Keswick got on the board with less than a quarter of the match left, winning the ball at a line out in the Park 22 for the backs to get the ball to Harry Vaillant who managed to cross for an unconverted try, breaking 3 tackles to do so, 53-5.

Park came back, aided by some poor defensive tackles and missed tackles as an interchange of play between their outside centre and wing allowed them to score again, 58-0 on 66 minutes. Still not giving up, Keswick attacked again, forwards and backs combining well but unable to find a way past the Park defence. The tables then turned but this time despite making good tackles the Park winger was able to cross for an unconverted try on 75 minutes for 63-5. The next Park attack was foiled by a last minute push into touch but relief was short lived as Keswick overthrew at the line out and the Park player taking the ball stepped the 5 metres for their final try, again unconverted, 68-5. Showing a lot of spirit, Keswick attacked from the restart, gathering a knock forward for Joe Quail to score an unconverted try, the final whistle then being blown on a 68-10 defeat.

This season has been a baptism of fire, with the quality of opposition much higher and the speed of play much faster than in lower leagues. However, the spirit that saw us promoted to North One West is much in evidence and even with a large deficit in points, the team still plays attacking rugby. This Saturday the First XV welcome Douglas from the Isle of Man to Davidson Park for the next league fixture. The Second XV are away at Littleborough in a cup match so this will be another busy weekend of rugby.