Keighley Cougars 20-12 Hunslet RLFC
Hunslet RLFC missed a chance to win two games on the bounce at a chilly Cougar Park on Good Friday afternoon (14 April 2017) losing by 20-12 to Keighley Cougars.
Keighley had most of the early pressure and took the lead when Adam Ryder pounced on a palm back from a Cougars kick to the corner. The try was converted and Keighley lead 6-0.
The half had been stop / start due to two lengthy injury breaks, Hunslet losing Jimmy Watson to concussion, but they replied in a similar manner to Keighley’s try when Joel Gibson’s Kick was palmed back for Mufaro Mvadudu, who proved too strong for the Cougars defence. 6-4.
Keighley then spent quite a long time battering Hunslet’s line but the thin (chocolate and’) white line held firm.
A Joe Sanderson penalty kick squared things up at 6-6 and this seemed to wake Hunslet from their slumbers as just on half time they produced their best move as Sanderson slipped a lovely ball to Mackay who swerved a defender before putting Sanderson back under the posts.
Hunslet lead 6-12 at the break.
Keighley, though emerged a different force in the second period. On 45 minutes a flat pass put Brad Nicholson under the posts squaring things up, before Keighley converted a penalty to go 14-12 up after George Flanaghan, frustrated at the officials decisions, threw a punch in the tackle.
Hunslet had chances to get back in the lead, camping on the Cougars line for 18 tackles and a brilliant break by Joel Gibson deputising at full back for Jimmy Watson. But it was Keighley who had the last laugh when in the dying moments Nicholson scored again much to the home crowd’s delight.
Keighley were deserved winners but it might have been different had Hunslet not lost Jimmy Watson and Aston Wilson in the first half, who had both been constant thorns in Keighley’s side.
We will have to wait until a week on Sunday and the visit of Whitehaven to see if the Huns can get their season back on track.
Teams:
Hunslet RLFC: Jimmy Watson, Ryan Ince, Aston Wilson, Mufaro Mvududu, Gavin Duffy, Joel Gibson, Joe Sanderson, Lewis Reed, Matthew Tebb, Matt Carbutt, Jake Normington, Liam Mackay, Nyle Flynn. Subs: Danny Ansell, George Flanagan, Jose Kenga, Sean Hesketh.
Keighley Cougars: Richie Hawkyard, Vinnie Finigan, Davey Dixon, Adam Ryder, Andy Gabriel, Will Milner, Matty Beharrell, Neil Cherryholme, James Feather, Matthew Bailey, Josh Lynam, Josh Tonks, Mike Emmett. Subs: Brendon Rawlins, Nathan Conroy, Ben Sagar, Brad Nicholson.
This post was written by Ian Pickles using our Create an article for South Leeds Life page.
