Didsbury Toc H 24 – 23 Keswick

This was a rescheduled fixture, and it being Easter weekend brought with it a number of challenges for the selectors. But Didsbury named a good side including the welcome return of Dylan Williams into the centres.

Keswick started well and registered the first points of the match with a penalty, and maintained some early pressure. But the visitors were hampered all game by Didsbury’s dominant display in the scrum, with ball taken against the feed by Mike Hyde well into double figures. And from one strike against the head Didsbury opened their account, perhaps against the run of play, with Dave Hoare streaking onto his own kick though to score out wide. Hoare is in fine form of late after returning from an injury layoff, but on the opposite wing Enita Okodiko is also peaking and he added Didsbury’s second try cutting a line to go under the posts. Olly Thomas added the conversion and the home side led 12-3. Keswick struck back with a converted try of their own, but Didsbury rounded off the half with Tom Makin racing past several attempted tackles to score out wide. Thomas’ conversion fell short, and the half finished at 17-10.

Keswick, as with the first half, started well and despite being unsighted the referee awarded an early try to the visitors. With the conversion Keswick drew level 17-17. But Didsbury struck back immediately with a pushover try touched down by Dave Foster (his tenth try of the season), and Thomas added the conversion. The forth try secured the home side’s bonus point, but the game was still in the balance. Keswick struck 2 penalties to close the game to within a point, but Didsbury spent the majority of the second half bombarding the Cambrian’s tryline with opportunities to put the game out of sight going begging.

Toc H will be pleased to have secured the 5 league points, but still face an uphill task to avoid the drop with only three league games remaining, and the current gap of 10 points to safety.

Next Saturday Didsbury welcome Heaton Moor to Ford Lane (3pm), with Moor sitting precariously only one league place above Didsbury.

For photos of the Keswick game please see John Fryers website http://www.photoboxgallery.com/fryerfoto/collection?album_id=1823627294