KEIGHLEY COUGARS 18 SWINTON LIONS 40
IAN RIGG, Cougar Park, Sunday

SWINTON produced a plum performance to claim a great win in front of their travelling fans and condemn Keighley to a sixth straight defeat.

The Lions took the lead in the fourth minute when Harry Higham crossed wide out after Trent Kelly-Duffy went close and Jordy Gibson landed the first of eight goals from eight attempts.

Samy Kibula was held up, but on 13 minutes, he dived over between the posts to put his side further ahead.

The Cougars hit back on 18 minutes when some good passing enabled Lucas Green to dive in by the posts, Matty Beharrell converting.

Aaron Willis struck for Swinton after 20 minutes when he made a great run to score his first try for the club, Gibson’s extra two making it 18-6.

Max Clarke and George Flanagan had good chances for Keighley but some great defence held them out.

Gibson put Swinton further ahead with a penalty-goal six minutes from the break after being hit late.

Flanagan went close again in the last minute of the half and seconds before the hooter, there was a skirmish that came to nothing.

Three minutes into the second half, Gibson stretched the lead further with another penalty-goal.

Keighley hit back quickly when a good passing movement led to Waldimar Matahwa crossing in the right-hand corner. Beharrell converted.

Swinton’s Mike Porter was held up twice in the same set on 49 minutes, but it was Keighley who hit back when Matahwa fed his centre Dylan Proud to score and Beharrell again goaled to leave his side only four points adrift.

Swinton responded from the restart when Jordan Brown crashed over, Gibson’s kick making it 28-18.

There was a hold up in play when Brad Holroyd’s shirt was torn in a tackle and the game was stopped for several minutes while a replacement was found.

Lachlan Lanskey, who had been causing Swinton headaches all afternoon, almost scored on 71 minutes, but he couldn’t quite chase his own kick successfully.

Swinton’s Tom Ratchford forced a goal-line drop-out in the next set and after this, Josh Eaves was held up.

The Swinton pressure was growing and after 74 minutes, Ratchford set up Aaron Lynch to score out on the left, Gibson adding his seventh goal.

Eaves was the sixth and last Swinton try-scorer with three minutes left when he darted over on the left and again Gibson converted.

GAMESTAR: Gav Rodden caused Keighley problems with every run.

GAMEBREAKER: Swinton’s persistence and high completion rate.

MATCHFACTS

COUGARS
18 Oliver Whitford
22 Waldimar Matahwa
5 Dylan Proud
4 Max Clarke
2 Brad Holroyd
13 Aaron Brown
7 Matty Beharrell
10 Jack Teanby
9 Oli Burton
39 Marcus Green
12 Lachlan Lanskey
21 Alfie Dean
11 Lucas Green
Subs (all used)
8 Dan Parker
14 George Flanagan
17 Jordan Schofield
26 Nathan Rushworth

Tries: L Green (18), Matahwa (46), Proud (52)
Goals: Beharrell 3/3

LIONS
1 Louie Roberts
34 Patrick Ah Van
20 Adam Jones
4 Aaron Lloyd
5 Harry Higham
21 Tom Ratchford
36 Jordy Gibson
8 Samy Kibula
9 Josh Eaves
10 Ben Killan
11 Gav Rodden
12 Aaron Willis
17 Trent Kelly-Duffy
Subs (all used)
15 Jamie Reddecliff
22 Jordan Brown
32 Kalum Rathbone
33 Mike Porter

Tries: Higham (5), Kibula (13), Willis (20), Brown (56), Lynch (74), Eaves (77)
Goals: Gibson 8/8

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 6-12, 6-18, 6-20; 6-22, 12-22, 18-22, 18-28, 18-34, 18-40

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Cougars: Waldimar Matahwa; Lions: Gav Rodden

Penalty count: 9-8
Half-time: 6-20
Referee: Kevin Moore