Windermere 12 Keswick 2nd XV 66

Keswick 2nd XV travelled to Windermere on Saturday for a friendly game in ideal conditions, dry, warm and bright, with a small group of travelling supporters for company. Keswick attacked from the first line out after Windermere kicked to clear, running the ball well into the home 22, where second phase ball was passed to George Attwood at centre who ran through to score under the
posts, converted by Steve Holloway for 0-7 with only 2 minutes on the clock. Windermere almost scored from the restart, charging down Keswick’s clearing kick, but with the line undefended the final pass was poor and the ball went into touch.

Keswick ran the ball from the line out and with handling being much easier than in recent games, both sides enjoyed running with the ball in hand. Making progress into the home 22, Keswick passed the ball from the back of a scrum, Danny Price gaining ground before releasing Joe Bagnall who ran round to score under the posts, again converted by Holloway, 0-14 on 22 minutes. By this stage Keswick’s dominance was apparent, passing was crisp and the scrums solid, but despite good first phase defence, Windermere were unable to defend against sustained attack. A run left by Eddie Mawson made space for Joe Quail to score under the posts, converted by Holloway, 0-21.

Windermere’s fullback showed his elusiveness after the restart as they ran the ball from a line out in the Keswick 22, cutting back to the blind side to score an unconverted try on 27 minutes, 5-21. Opting for a scrum at a penalty on 35 minutes 15 metres out Keswick passed the ball to Price who scored a converted try under the posts, 5-28. On 40 minutes, an almost carbon copy of their first try gave the Windermere fullback his second try, this time his own conversion successful, 12-28 at half time.

Within 2 minutes of the start of the second half Keswick went further ahead, running the ball right, where Callum Oswald scored out wide, again converted by Holloway, 12-35. The Windermere scrum improved in the second half, as did their line out, but they were unable to convert that improvement into points, despite spending long periods in the Keswick half of the field. Winning a number of penalties in the Keswick 22, Windermere opted either to kick for an attacking line out, or take a scrum instead of kicking for goal but still could not score, being held up over the line on the one occasion they crossed it.

It was in the last 15 minutes that Keswick’s dominance asserted itself again, a run from inside the 22 by Bagnall, supported by Quail and Jonny Robinson before the ball was passed to Price who scored an unconverted try, 12-40. This was followed by an immediate score after the restart, Ally Hewett-Smith running through before passing to Price who touched down, with Holloway again adding the extras, 12-47. The next attack ended in a goal line drop out, which was caught and run back, Joe Slack reaching the line to score, Holloway extending it to 12-54.

Windermere’s next attack came from a penalty kick line out in the Keswick 22 after 78 minutes, but having won the ball they were dispossessed and Bagnall ran in from 70 metres, again converted by Holloway, 12-61. The restart kick was caught by Quail and run back, the ball passed to Oswald who scored the final try, unconverted, 12-66 at the final whistle. Despite a valiant effort, Windermere had run out of steam in the final quarter and Keswick had given some younger players a good run out.

On Saturday Keswick welcome Winnington Park to Davidson Park for a league fixture that could decide the end of season league positions. One place and 3 points below Keswick, Winnington Park have 2 games in hand so a win at home would re-open the points difference and all support will be welcome. Kick off is at 3pm.