KEIGHLEY COUGARS 66 NORTH WALES CRUSADERS 10
ALFIE INGRAM, Cougar Park, Sunday

KEIGHLEY secured a one-sided home victory over North Wales, outscoring their visitors by twelve tries to two, with Brad Holroyd grabbing three of them.

The Crusaders fielded a side despite reports of unpaid wages with the club’s owners stating earlier in the week that they would no longer be putting in funds.

This game instead started 45 minutes late for an altogether different reason, because of a problem with medical equipment.

Once underway, the scoring started after five minutes. After a strong break from Oliver Whitford, Keighley spread the ball down the right wing, and Jacob Stead crashed over the line for the try. Keighley debutant Will Groves added the conversion.

North Wales replied six minutes through Luke Forber, whose footwork beat his man on the left edge as he slid over for the try. Jordy Gibson was unable to add the conversion.

Keighley soon scored again, however, as David Foggin-Johnston latched onto the end of a clever Whitford grubber to score in the right corner. 

Holroyd then touched down for the first time, powering past the defence to score from close range in the left corner. Groves could not convert.

The Cougars were looking sharp and began to dominate possession. They found themselves in good field position following a sharp drive downfield from Connor Sayner and they again found the tryline, with Holroyd scoring in the same spot for his second of the day.  

Keighley added another try with six minutes of the first half remaining when they targeted the Crusaders’ right edge, and it paid off, as George Hill steamed through several defenders to touch down, meaning that Keighley cruised into the interval with an 18-point lead. 

And it took just three minutes for them to get on the scoresheet after half-time, and the try came from Emmanuel Waine, who used his speed to drive through the middle of the North Wales defence to go over under the sticks. 

The Crusaders had a rare spell of pressure 46 minutes in, getting to within five metres of the Keighley line, but the Cougars’ defence stayed firm and they regained possession shortly after.

And as the half went on, the match became significantly one-sided.

Whitford scored in the right corner 56 minutes in, and just moments later, Alfie Dean got onto the scoresheet, after forcing his way through the Crusaders’ defence in the left corner. 

As the clock hit the hour mark, Holroyd danced his way past the North Wales defence on the left edge to earn his hat-trick. 

George Flanagan earned his place on the scoresheet with 15 minutes to go, after slicing his way through the middle of the Crusaders’ defence from ten metres out. 

The most impressive try of the day came from Max Clarke, who produced a sneaky interception around the 35-metre mark, before going the length of the field to score under the posts. 

Ben Hartill secured a consolation try for the Crusaders with five minutes to go, with Gibson adding the goal. 

With just seconds remaining, Leo Skerrett-Evans made a break from 40 metres out and offloaded to Whitford, who went over for his second, capping off an impressive victory for Keighley. 

GAMESTAR: Oli Whitford looked dangerous in attack, both scoring and creating tries.

GAMEBREAKER: After David Foggin-Johnston’s try in the 16th minute, the Cougars never looked back and began to dominate the game.

MATCHFACTS

COUGARS
1 Connor Sayner
2 Brad Holroyd
18 Oli Whitford
4 Max Clarke
19 David Foggin-Johnston
35 Will Groves
24 Ben Dean
11 Lucas Green
9 Oli Burton
26 Nathan Rushworth
34 Jacob Stead
21 Alfie Dean
27 George Hill
Subs (all used)
8 Dan Parker
14 George Flanagan
20 Leo Skerrett-Evans
33 Emmanuel Waine

Tries: Stead (5), Foggin-Johnston (16), Holroyd (21, 27, 61), Hill (32), Waine (43), Whitford (56, 80), A Dean (58), Flanagan (65), Clarke (72)
Goals: Groves 9/12

CRUSADERS
23 Greg Eden
20 Tom Bridge
21 Lucas Tyrer
22 Jake Nottingham
5 Luke Forber
7 Jordy Gibson
18 Junior Westwood
16 Mark Ioane
25 Ben Hartill
17 Ashton Robinson
11 Brad England
27 Bailey Pemberton
8 Ant Walker
Subs (all used)
10 Tomo Clark
19 Maciu Nabogi
26 Patrick Ah Van
– Callum Lowe

Tries: Forber (11), Hartill (74)
Goals: Gibson 1/2

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-4, 12-4, 16-4, 20-4, 26-4; 32-4, 36-4, 42-4, 48-4, 54-4, 60-4, 60-10, 66-10

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Cougars: Oli Whitford; Crusaders: Junior Westwood

Penalty count: 4-2
Half-time: 26-4
Referee: Adam Williams