Keswick 3-24 Vale of Lune

The floodlights were on from the start and Vale had first use of the gusty wind which blew towards the car park and were soon on the offensive when Billy Swarbrick took a quick tap penalty to take play up to Keswick’s 22m.

This first shot across the bows gave an indication of the way Vale were going to play providing everyone stuck to the script which of course they faithfully followed.

In the 10th minute, concerted forward pressure in Keswick’s 22m was the ideal launch pad for Vale’s first try.

The ball was moved wide with a series of short passes to the waiting Alex Briggs who bustled his way over on the left, the centre then gave the ball a mighty wallop to secure the extra points.

Keswick came more and more into the game after this early setback and began to probe for an opening but there was more order and discipline running through Vale’s rank and the gaps that had been prevalent in recent games were effectively plugged.

The longer the game went on, the more Vale’s forwards tightened the vice and this was reflected in their final score of what had been an absorbing half of competitive rugby which at times made the spectators to forget the cold and damp.

From a lineout Vale’s forwards drove for the whitewash, the ball was protected from wandering hands, legs pumped through the mire and eventually replacement Harm Dokter emerged from a tangle of bodies to claim an unconverted try.

Despite the rain sweeping into Keswick’s faces they stubbornly resisted Vale’s advances and a 12-point deficit, with the elements in their favour for the second half, did not look like a bridge too far.

Unfortunately, any plans for a comeback were put on the back burner when in the opening minute of the second half when skipper Andy Powers, who was at his aggressive best throughout, rounded off yet another spirited passage of forward play for an unconverted try.

A Keswick penalty goal in the 50th minute shone a beam of light on their aspirations but again Vale pulled the plug with their final score in the 55th minute.

From a solid scrum, Swarbrick broke blind, gliding over the surface he sold an outrageous dummy for the neatest of tries, and to add to the drama and excitement of the moment, Briggs pummelled over the conversion with a kick that wobbled its merry way just over the crossbar.

Although the scoring had stopped the game continued to hold the attention, Keswick searched for openings as did Vale. Gradually the visitors shackled their opposite numbers ambitions and with the clouds lifting and the drizzle clearing, Vale ended the game with yet another forward flourish before their baton was put away, that is until Saturday when they host Stockport, who have won their last four league games.