KEIGHLEY COUGARS 30 HUNSLET 42
DAVE PARKINSON, Cougar Park, Saturday

HUNSLET collected eight tries and victory in an entertaining game while Keighley wilted in the second half after taking the lead for a second time.

Having trailed by two points at the end of a nine-try first period, a Lucas Green try and fifth conversion from five by Matty Beharrell put the Cougars up by four.

But the hosts spent the majority of the final half-hour with twelve men as both Alfie Dean and David Foggin-Johnston received yellow cards, helping Hunslet score 16 unanswered points and secure only a second league triumph of the season.

Keighley opened the scoring in that rollercoaster first half after five minutes when Matty Beharrell kicked left and Brad Holroyd took the ball ahead of Mo Agoro.

Four minutes later, Hunslet tried to work play left but an error brought a scrum in favour of the Cougars. Beharrell took advantage to slip a couple of tackles and sail over, and having added both goals his side led 12-0.

Hunslet then hit Keighley for the next three tries as their left side found their groove, starting with Lee Gaskell and Myles Harrop combining for Jimmy Watson to cross after 15 minutes.

Their second try came in the 20th minute. Jowitt cleverly wrapped around Will Kirby and the offload saw him through after a strong drive from Charlie Graham.

Next Hunslet forced a drop-out, and smart work around the middle saw Ethan O’Hanlon crash under the posts. Jowitt added his third goal to put the visitors 18-12 in front.

Izaac Farrell showed dancing feet to get Keighley close in response and Emmanuel Waine crossed for his first Cougars try a couple of tackles later in the 29th minute.

Two minutes later the Hunslet right side was flying again and Harrop went over for the first of a quick-fire double.

The centre was then on hand to pick up a clever Gaskell kick to make it 18-26.

Cougars hit back before half-time when Holroyd went between two defenders with a stutter step.

And early in the second half Dan Parker ran strongly before Green burst over from dummy-half to put the hosts back in front, with Beharrell’s final goal making it 30-26.

But gradually Hunslet started to take control. A strong drive from Liam Carr saw him ground under the posts despite a posse of defenders, and the conversion from Jowitt saw them retake the lead.

Keighley saw Dean put in the sin bin after a succession of offences but went closest to scoring in his absence with Holroyd unable to ground under pressure from Dan Abram.

With 15 minutes remaining Hunslet scored again after Harvey Hallas tore upfield, the ball went right through Jowitt and Charlie Graham eased over.

At the other end George Flanagan was held up with the game on a knife edge, before Keighley lost leader Beharrell to injury.

They continued to push for an equalising score in his absence, only for Harrop to pluck an intercept out of the air and go 60 metres. He was dragged down by Connor Sayner but Foggin-Johnston was sin-binned for his late effort in the tackle.

Hunslet took advantage with Harrison Gilmore forcing his way over for the clinching try and Jowitt completing a five-goal haul.

GAMESTAR: Myles Harrop added real cutting edge on the left for Keighley and proved a constant menace.

GAMEBREAKER: Harrop’s intercept at 30-36, just as Cougars looked to be building for a score themselves.

MATCHFACTS

COUGARS
1 Connor Sayner
2 Brad Holroyd
4 Max Clarke
18 Oli Whitford
19 David Foggin-Johnston
6 Izaac Farrell
7 Matty Beharrell
11 Lucas Green
14 George Flanagan
26 Nathan Rushworth
33 Emmanuel Waine
21 Alfie Dean
27 George Hill
Subs (all used)
8 Dan Parker
9 Oli Burton
20 Leo Skerrett-Evans
32 Sam Littler

Tries: Holroyd (5, 39), Beharrell (9), Waine (29), Green (44)
Goals: Beharrell 5/5
Sin bin: Dean (55) – repeated team offences, Foggin-Johnston (74) – holding down

HUNSLET
7 Dan Abram
18 Jimmy Watson
3 Myles Harrop
27 Charlie Graham
5 Mo Agoro
6 Lee Gaskell
1 Billy Jowitt
8 Harvey Hallas
14 Cam Berry
26 Ethan O’Hanlon
11 Harrison Gilmore
35 Will Kirby
13 Eddie Battye
Subs (all used)
20 Liam Carr
25 Alfie Leak
36 Joe Phillips
– Jaden Barraclough

Tries: Watson (15), Jowitt (20), O’Hanlon (24), Harrop (31, 36), Carr (50), Graham (65), Gilmore (74)
Goals: Jowitt 5/8

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 12-6, 12-12, 12-18, 18-18, 18-22, 18-26, 24-26; 30-26, 30-32, 30-36, 30-42

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Cougars: Lucas Green; Hunslet: Myles Harrop

Penalty count: 10-10
Half-time: 24-26
Referee: Luke Bland