Do Or Die For Cougars – North Wales Preview

[Cougars News]

Keighley Cougars v North Wales Crusaders Preview by Joshua Chapman (@JRCSport)

Date: Sunday 27^th September

Time: 3.00pm

Venue: Cougar Park, Keighley

After a heart breaking defeat to Oldham in the Promotion Final, the Cougars welcome the Crusaders to Cougar Park for the League One Play-Off Semi Final.

Last Time Out

The Cougars will have to get promoted the hard way after a 31-20 defeat away at Oldham in the Promotion Final.

Despite tries from Matthew Bailey, Paul White, Paul Handforth and Andy Gabriel, the Roughyeds’ emerged victorious of their physically strong pack and the half back pairing of Lewis Palfrey and Steve Roper.

The Crusaders last played a fortnight ago when they ended Stanley Gene’s tenure as Newcastle Thunder coach by defeating them 50-22 in the North-East.

Andrew Oakden’s hat-trick inspired an injury hit North Wales to victory with Rob Massam also bragging a brace. The other tries came through efforts from Jonny Walker, Tommy Johnson, Christiaan Roets and Lee Hudson.

Team News

The Cougars will still be without James Feather, who is away in Cyprus for his wedding, as is Oliver Pursglove, who is serving as Buster’s best man.

Liam Darville and Neil Cherryholme will both be fighting to win their places back in March’s seventeen for the visit of the Crusaders.

The Crusaders have done it tough, playing a number of recent fixtures without a full contingent of seventeen due to injuries.

The likes of Jono Smith, Mark Hobson and Stuart Reardon could be available for selection once more after missing out against Newcastle last time out.

Key Battle

These two teams between them boast the division’s top three try-scorers as well as it’s most in-form winger. This means the battle of Paul White & Andy Gabriel up against Rob Massam & Andrew Oakden could prove the difference between a trip to Widnes and a season ending early.

What The Coaches Say

Keighley Cougars Player-Coach Paul March has yet to comment.

North Wales Crusaders Head Coach Anthony Murray said: “”The promotion final experience for Keighley can only be a good one; they’ll learn from any mistakes they made last weekend.

“We’ll go into the game as underdogs and we know what to expect from Keighley, but they’ll also know what to expect from us.

“We’ll go to Keighley with confidence, to enjoy ourselves and, hopefully, we’ll do enough to win the game.”

Prediction

The Cougars have bounced back from defeat’s so far this season with victories, and hurting still from Sunday against Oldham as well as needing to get one back over North Wales following the mauling they took in Wrexham at end of June means this should be a belter. – Keighley by 8.

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[Number 7]

Prediction CRU by 10

[FearNothing]

Should be a good game, Cru by 6

 

p.s. don't care if it's by one, as long as it's us

[TOSH1960]

Fancy Cru by 8.

[Dave Naylor]

I wrote Cru off a few weeks back but they seem to have got things rolling again.  I watched the Cougar players walk off the pitch last week at Whitebank, they looked crestfallen and I felt a bit sorry for them tbh.  

 

Crusaders by 6.

 

I'm off to watch the other semi. Lions to win and then go on to grab a promotion place.

[moorside roughyed]

Hoping for Swinton and Crusaders victories today.

[higgy]

Great win guys, hope you win the final and join us in the championship, at least you will know were you are playing which is more than we mushrooms do.

 

Good Luck.

[Number 7]

Prediction CRU by 10

Well that went totally wrong!!!

Well done Cougars and good luck next week.

 

7

[gogledd]

Congratulations to Keighley Cougars - a well deserved win yesterday. No complaints from me - the better team deserved to win. Best of luck in the play-off finals.