NEWCASTLE THUNDER 0 KEIGHLEY COUGARS 52
SEB STERNIK, Crow Trees, Sunday
KEIGHLEY collected their first win of the league season at the ninth attempt courtesy of a nine-try demolition of basement side Newcastle.
Alan Kilshaw’s Cougars showed no mercy against a young and inexperienced Thunder, taking an early lead and building on it throughout the game.
While the result marks an important turning point for Keighley, it also condemned Newcastle to their ninth league loss of the year.
Keighley’s bright start took only four minutes to pay off as on-loan forward Jack Teanby bagged an early opener.
The York man received the ball just five metres away from the line and spun his way past Newcastle’s defence before crashing over. Jack Miller added the extras from close range. the first of six successful kicks from seven (Izaac Farrell landed two out of two).
Ten minutes later, Teanby was at it again, sneaking his way across from close range.
With 30 minutes on the clock, Dan Parker stamped his name on the scoresheet – a try which opened the floodgates.
Three minutes later, Miller exposed a big gap in Newcastle’s defence before diving for his try in style. The former Thunder player’s subsequent goal was the 500th of his career.
Another three minutes went by before Keighley celebrated yet another score. On this occasion it was Parker who went on a menacing run before finding Farrell, whose dazzling footwork got him across the whitewash. Another Miller conversion made it 30-0 at the break.
Keighley simply picked up where they left off after the interval, and it took just seven minutes for them to make their second-half breakthrough, with Brad England doing the bulk of the work. A big drive from the former Bradford man quickly led to a Lachlan Lanskey try.
Moments later, the visitors were at it again. A big break from Connor Sayner once again forced Newcastle back on their heels. A quick pass to England allowed him to power across the whitewash, with Miller making it 40-0 courtesy of his sixth goal.
Newcastle did have a couple of dangerous opportunities midway through the half.
Brad Ward’s interception forced Keighley to retreat. However, their best opportunity came in the 60th minute when Elliot Shaw released Jake Dickinson down the left flank. He seemed set to score but couldn’t keep hold of the ball.
In the final minutes, Keighley managed to get two more tries on the board.
In the 66th, Jordan Schofield capitalised on a quick counter-attack, and in the 77th, Mark Ioane capped the thumping win with his own individual effort.
Just a few moments after coming off the bench, Ioane showed great footwork as he dashed his way over, and both late efforts were converted by Farrell.
GAMESTAR: Keighley halfback Jack Miller not only bagged his 500th career goal but also delivered a great all-round performance.
GAMEBREAKER: The Cougars’ run of three tries in the final ten minutes of the first half.
MATCHFACTS
THUNDER
1 Alex Donaghy
2 Brad Ward
3 Myles Harrison
4 Evan Lawther
5 Jake Dickinson
6 Charlie Yeomans
7 Elliot Shaw
8 Toby Gibson
9 Tom Siddle
15 David Weetman
12 Sean Croston
11 Alex Taylor
13 Tyler Walton
Subs (all used)
14 Matty Rolls
17 Lloyd Hall
– George Birch
16 Harry Price
COUGARS
32 Connor Sayner
2 Brad Holroyd
4 Junior Sa’u
19 Junior Nuu
5 Billy Walkley
6 Izaac Farrell
7 Jack Miller
16 Jordan Schofield
13 Aaron Brown
33 Jack Teanby
15 Dan Parker
12 Lachlan Lanskey
29 Lucas Green
Subs (all used)
9 George Flanagan
10 Mark Ioane
22 Valu Tane Bentley
11 Brad England
Tries: Teanby (4, 14), Parker (30), Miller (33), Farrell (36), Lanskey (47), England (49), Schofield (66), Ioane (74)
Goals: Miller 6/7, Farrell 2/2
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-18, 0-24, 0-30; 0-34, 0-40, 0-46, 0-52
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Thunder: Jake Dickinson; Cougars: Jack Miller
Penalty count: 2-4
Half-time: 0-30
Referee: Adam Williams