WHITEHAVEN 20 KEIGHLEY COUGARS 4
JORDAN WEIR, Ortus REC, Sunday
WHITEHAVEN skipper Jordan Burns marked his 150th professional appearance by leading his side to their first first league victory of the season.
Keighley were condemned to a second league defeat as they could manage only one try to their hosts’ three.
Two contrasting styles were on display, with the Cougars willing to throw the ball around from the early stages while Whitehaven were happy to work hard down the middle of the field.
The first score came on 13 minutes with the Cumbrians gifted field possession through a penalty.
From the resulting set, Jack Kellett powered over from short range, twisting out of the grasp of the Keighley defence to ground the ball. Australian halfback Cameron Brown, making his first start after leaving Widnes, tagged on the two.
Whitehaven had a score controversially ruled out midway through the first half with Brown’s kick grabbed cleanly in the air by Ethan Bickerdike. While the centre seemed to have grounded the ball, referee Andy Sweet ruled that the Keighley defenders had got under it,
Shortly after that, Brown missed a penalty-goal attempt.
Just after the half-hour mark, Jay Weatherill stunned Keighley as he burst through three would-be tacklers and ran 60 metres, outpacing Brandon Pickersgill and grounding the ball in the left corner. Brown couldn’t add the extras from the touchline.
Whitehaven lost the ball on the first play after the kick-off and Keighley hit back.
Junior Sa’u was the benefactor as the ball was shifted from left to right before a magnificent Brad England offload allowed him to cross, although Jack Miller failed to add the extras.
Keighley’s tails were up and Jordan Schofield broke down the Whitehaven defence before being hauled down just short.
The temptation was too much for the prop as he stretched out his arm and put the ball down before being penalised for a double-movement.
In the second half, both sides at times struggled to complete their sets and the error count was high.
But Whitehaven extended their lead with a Brown penalty-goal following a late tackle.
Keighley’s frustrations were summed up when they lost possession on their own 30 with an incorrect play-the-ball and the decision was disputed too much by George Flanagan, with a penalty given for dissent. Brown once again had no issues adding two more points to the home tally.
The victory was secured two minutes from time as substitute Mason Lewthwaite crashed over following a defence-splitting pass by Brown, who added the goal.
GAMESTAR: Whitehaven captain Jordan Burns led by example on his 150th career appearance.
GAMEBREAKER: Mason Lewthwaite’s late try from a fine Cameron Brown pass secured the points for the home side.
MATCHFACTS
WHITEHAVEN
1 Jordan Burns
5 Jay Weatherill
3 Chris Taylor
4 Ethan Bickerdike
22 Max Anderson-Moore
20 Cameron Brown
26 Jack Newbegin
8 Jake Pearce
14 Luke Collins
10 Jordan Thomson
11 Connor Holliday
19 Rio McQuistan
13 Jack Kellett
Subs (all used)
16 Brad Brennan
24 Josh Blinkhorn
15 Mason Lewthwaite
18 Aaron Turnbull
Tries: Kellett (13), Weatherill (31), Lewthwaite (78)
Goals: Brown 4/6
COUGARS
1 Brandon Pickersgill
3 Adam Ryder
36 Ewan Smith
4 Junior Sa’u
2 Brad Holroyd
6 Izaac Farrell
7 Jack Miller
10 Mark Ioane
9 George Flanagan
29 Lucas Green
11 Brad England
12 Lachlan Lanskey
38 Tom Whitehead
Subs (all used)
13 Aaron Brown
16 Jordan Schofield
15 Dan Parker
23 Leo Aliyu
Tries: Sa’u (35)
Goals: Miller 0/1
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 10-0, 10-4; 12-4, 14-4, 20-4
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of The Match
Whitehaven: Jordan Burns; Cougars: Tom Whitehead
Penalty count: 10-7
Half-time: 10-4
Referee: Andy Sweet
Attendance: 811