Near neighbours Keswick and Penrith played their first meaningful game for many years, this season they find themselves in the same league for the first time since the league set up started in the 80s. Keswick had had a nightmare opening to the season after their promotion from the Cumbria league losing heavily at Stockport and found things little better against a powerful Penrith side.

Penrith were in the ascendancy from the off and had an early chance to score after kicking a penalty to the corner but failed to claim the ball at the lineout. They did take the lead in the first ten minutes, strong running from No8 Callum Fawcett on his senior debut along with Matt Allinson and then some good continuity as they strung the phases together saw the forwards battering the home line, it left to George Graham to pick the gap on the fringe of the ruck to force his way over for the first try, 17 year old Fraser Nicolson then slotted the conversion.

They came close to scoring a second after they shunted the home pack off their own set scrum, Allinson and Graham combined to put Jay Rossi away but the ball was then knocked on with the line begging. More good team play saw the visitors on the front foot again as they put the ball through the phases and more good continuity saw them deep in the home 22, Rossi cut inside and went for the line and was hauled down just short but Allinson was on hand for the easiest of tasks to pick the ball and dot it down in the corner.

As the first half ended Keswick had a period of good pressure but they struggled to make any clean line breaks as Penrith defended strongly, Adrigh Cole lifted the siege and won the turnover when the ball ran loose, the visitors should have extended their lead in added time but took too much time shifting the ball with a clear overlap and the chance was snuffed out.

The only question for Penrith at half time was would they regret failing to take advantage of at least two gilt edged opportunities in the first half to double their try tally and put the game out of sight. They needn't have worried as they also had the best of the second half but a plucky Keswick side looked always on the cusp of a revival and kept their neighbours on their toes throughout.

Nicolson kicked a penalty five minutes into the second half to put his side more than two scores clear and then Penrith scored from the restart to put themselves out of sight. Tom Lindsay made ground on the charge before Graham and then Scott Lancaster went deep into Keswick territory. The ball came wide to Ed Swale who stepped back inside and then found Rossi with an inside pass and he went in for a converted try.

Keswick broke their duck with a penalty head on to the posts but Penrith were soon on the attack again and had a 5m scrum after Adam Howe was held up over the line. The forwards secured possession and after battering the line and drawing in the defence the ball was spun wide to the left and Swale put Nicolson in for a well worked try. The visitors went close again after Graham won turnover ball in midfield, Olly Gutteridge on in the centre for Allinson cut through midfield but the final pass went astray.

Penrith added their fifth try from a 5m scrum after Howe was again held up over the line, the forwards went for the pushover having had much the better of the scrummage all afternoon and had their opposite numbers over the line when Graham was able to dot the ball down for his pack.

Keswick got their reward for a battling display in the final ten minutes when there was a slight defensive Penrith lapse and they made their first line break of the day to claim the try. The final word still went to the visitors as Gutteridge cut loose and put James Reynolds away for the final score.

This takes Penrith to the top of the league but it is far too early in the season to read anything into it but it is better than the previous season when they had only accumulated one point out of a possible 10 at this stage.