Lively opener for the New Year

Keswick’s defensive structure held firm against an improved Wigton side, enabling them to claim the win in a fascinating match at Lowmoor Road. For the visitors, a decisive factor was the pace of right winger Ryan Weir who showed the X-factor enabling him to score two tries in a game where defences had the better of exchanges in the middle of the park.

Keswick set off like a train, claiming the ball from their own kick off before being bundled into touch in the home 22. Keswick then claimed the ball on Wigton’s throw and a try seemed in the offing but a knock on seemed to take the chance away. However, Keswick shunted Wigton off their own ball but blew their good field position when defensive pressure caused a very speculative extravagant pass went into touch.

After a torrid opening, Wigton sprang into life and found the fluency and continuity that had evaded them in December. Ball from a lineout on Keswick’s 22 was passed smartly along the backline and questions were asked of the visitors’ defence. Scrum half Fergus Ledingham took a quick tapped penalty from close range and the forwards started to batter the line. After several forays the ball was moved slightly wider to centre Richard Moffatt who was able to crash over for the opening, unconverted, try.

Keswick had to restructure when they lost, in quick succession, prop McKenzie and winger Cornforth to injuries. This seemed not to hinder their scrum and they were able to put pressure on the Wigton eight, winning several penalties in the first half. From one of these they set up a lineout less than ten yards from Wigton’s tryline. The home defence resisted a drive and seemed to be coping with the attacks but referee Martin Maughan spotted an offside under the posts. Spurning the chance of an easy three points, Keswick opted for a scrum. Wigton again dealt with close quarter attacks by Keswick but when the ball was moved wide, stand off George Holme was able to squeeze in for a try. The missed conversion left the game tied up at 5-5.

Wigton looked to hit back and were soon on Keswick’s 22. However, a wayward pass ended up in the hands of winger Weir who bounced off a tackler and ran sixty five yards to give Keswick a 5-10 lead.

From the restart Keswick put up a high kick into Wigton’s 22. Fullback Lewis Plackett jumped to claim the ball and was challenged by his opposite number Wallace. The referee ruled that Wallace had taken his man out in the air and showed him a yellow card.

Wigton were not slow to take advantage and hit back with some play out of the top drawer. Good handling in midfield gave Plackett a chance to run the ball into the Keswick half. Forwards Robert Marrs and Greg Wrathall both bumped off tacklers to create space. In the twenty two Wrathall galloped into space and passed to flanker Elliot Armstrong running a good support line. He in turn offloaded to Plackett who was able to finish off the move with an excellent try which again levelled the scoreline, at 10-10.

Another scrum penalty gave Keswick one last bite of the cherry in the Wigton 22, but a knock on brought an absorbing half of rugby to an end.

The second half was generally more attritional in its nature as both sides tried to break though using their packs, though generally these efforts were dealt with comfortably. Both sides drew errors from their opponents or looked to pilfer turnover ball.

Keswick had first chance of a score when another scrum penalty gave them a lineout in the home red zone. An attempted catch and drive was resisted but when the ball was spun wide, Weir had been left too much space and the cover defence scrambled across to drive him into touch but he was able to squeeze in for a try first. This gave Keswick a 10-15 lead in a game of no conversions.

Wigton now enjoyed long periods of possession as their scrum became steadier and the pressure started to produce infringements from the Keswick defence. Wigton centre Oliver Lewis in particular started to carry to good effect, rarely failing to make ground. However, although the defensive line was driven back, it didn’t break. A penalty on the twenty two enabled Dan Reed to narrow the score to 13-15, but Brian Storey soon cancelled that out with a penalty for Keswick to give them a 13-18 lead.

The last quarter of the game was frantic and nail biting as Wigton strove for a late try and grab the win. A powerful burst by Marrs got Wigton into the twenty two but the defence pressured the passers into hurried efforts, one of which ended up in touch. The Keswick defence was holding its shape well but the Greens kept roaring back.

Wigton kept the ball for a long period and winger Josh Leeson had the home fans excited as he managed to break to within ten yards of the line. Wigton kept the ball and moved it to the opposite side where Moffatt was close to scoring but the ball went loose on the five metre line. Wigton had one last chance but that was terminated by the concession of a penalty for holding on at the breakdown, an area of play where Keswick flanker Christian Sellars was a thorough nuisance all afternoon.

A simple tap followed by a kick into touch brought proceedings to an end. The crowd enjoyed the close encounter but Keswick keep their spot at the top of the table whilst Wigton will have renewed vigour for their visit to Upper Eden next week.