Town are edged out by bogey team Keighley
Last updated 12:07, Monday, 11 August 2008
Keighley Cougars 26 Workington 20: Play-off chasing Keighley and Workington met for the fourth time this season. Once more the Yorkshire team taking the spoils. Town fell tantalisingly short, losing by a six point margin.
In reality Workington lost the match in the first half battling against the slope, a swirling wind and a Keighley side who had a keener tactical edge, with more cutting edge kicks.
Town for their part were typically abrasive, and on another day, stand out player Matthew Tunstall would have ended up a winner, but this season Keighley appear to have a hoodoo over Town.
Cussed Cumbrian defence denied Keighley’s Dan Potter an early score, when he ran the inside angle to the corner only for Ian Marsh to manhandle him in to touch by the flag.
However, after 15 minutes Marsh shelled Carl Forber’s pass to surrender possession in his own 20. Andy Shickell was stopped two metres shy, but at the expense of a penalty incurred for offside. Keighley opted to run it, with Captain James Feather crashing over from close range. Jones tagged on the extras to create a six point advantage.
It was an advantage they extended, following a poor goal line drop out. The ball was worked back into the 20. Although Oliver Pursglove was denied by Forber, he held him down unduly. The penalty was again run. Feather this time being held up just short, but not wrapped up. Allowing him to flip the ball back to the supporting Redfearn, who scooted over on the inside. Jones goaled for a 12 point lead at the end of the first quarter.
Four minutes later, Workington in only their second sortie into the Cougar 20 opened their account. With Feather off, Jamie Marshall found space and time from the ruck. Releasing Jay Duffy, who in turn found Ryan Campbell. He could not break the Keighley defence, but two plays later Mark McCully breached the line. Forber goaled to reduce the deficit to six points.
Mark Routledge had an opportunity down the right flank but could not round Ryan Smith, his opposite number.
Indeed Smith claimed the next try. Jones drew winger Routledge in, before passing the ball out to the overlapping Smith. He cantered in unopposed from 45 metres to open a 10 point gap, at half time.
The second half belonged to the visitors. They reduced the deficit in the 53rd minute. The Cougar’s stopped Duffy, but had no answer to Tunstall who crossed under the posts for four points.
Potter had a try chalked off for offside; Franco Kemet was denied by full back George Rayner who reeled in his grubber. Rayner’s intervention kick started the Cougar move, which saw the boot being used by Fawcett, Jones, Cartledge and Feather before Redfearn grounded the ball for the score.
Jones boot brought the additional two points to give the Cougars a 22 – 10 cushion.
A marauding Tunstall ate up the yards for Workington. But it was Martyn Wilson who masterminded his own score. Oiling his shirt to slip the grasp of Bissell and Shickell to slide over the whitewash. The successful conversion reducing the arrears to six points. Three successive Workington sets could not break Keighley’s scrambling defence. The opportunity being wasted when John Mossop chipped the ball into touch.
Rawlins retaliation following a high tackle gifted the ball back to Town, who could not capitalise. Rawlins redeeming himself when he intercepted a pass on the fifth tackle. Three plays later it was the Cougars celebrating following Pursglove’s try.
Jones conversion apparently put in the tie to bed at 26 – 16.
Wilson’s determination once more paid dividends in the Cougar half, when he half stopped Neil Lowe. Lowe lost the ball, allowing the dangerous combination of Duffy and Tunstall to release Ryan Benjafield. Benjafield breezed to the line, leaving Nicholson and Redfearn trailing in his wake before beating the fullback for good measure.
Although the conversion was missed the bonus point had been secured.
MATCH FACTS
Keighley: George Rayner, Sam Gardner, Dan Potter, Oliver Pursglove, Ryan Smith, Jon Presley, Danny Jones, Andy Shickell, James Feather, Simon Bissell, Greg Nicholson, Neil Lowe, Chris Redfearn, Jermaine Wray, Brendan Rawlins, Will Cartledge ,Scott Law.
Workington: Carl Forber, Mark Routledge, Ian Marsh, Jason Mossop, Martyn Wilson, Mark McCully, Jay Duffy, Matthew Tunstall, Jamie Marshall, Peter Dobson, James Robinson, Dexter Miller, Ryan Campbell, Franco Kemet, Chris Young, Gary Purdham, Ryan Benjafield.
Man of the match: Matthew Tunstall
Referee: C. Halloran
Attendance: 749
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