Keighley 29 Sheffield Medics 3

KEIGHLEY'S run of four consecutive clean sheets may have ended but the Rose Cottage side still completed their 11th straight win in their final league game of 2015.

And there was a further reason to be cheerful with news that table-toppers West Leeds had been held to a 26-26 draw at Moortown, meaning the Utley men are just two points off the summit with a game in hand.

Keighley had a disjointed back division due to illness and injury, and found it difficult to breakdown a skilled Medics team.

After labouring hard to get good field position, the home team scored first with a try from makeshift outside half Ben Blackwell, full back Olly Mitchell converting.

Stung into action, Sheffield dominated proceedings, winning good ball from the lineout and contact area. They put Keighley under pressure but determined defence kept them out.

The home side slowly fought their way back into the game and were rewarded with a penalty, converted by Mitchell.

The Medics got themselves on the scoreboard - finally ending Keighley's run of not conceding - with a well-struck penalty from outside half Michael Davies.

But the hosts had the last word of the half, utilising quick ball to give centre Alan Ebbrell the opportunity to score in the corner.

The second half was very similar to the first – although Keighley tried hard to break the Medics down, they fell short and were held out by excellent first-up defence.

The deadlock was broken when scrum half Lucas Uren, who was celebrating his birthday, found some space at the side of a ruck to dive through and score, Mitchell tagging on the extras.

Sheffield kept threatening with some speedy attacking rugby and only scrabbled defence kept them out.

As daylight faded, Keighley secured a bonus-point try when captain Will Armitage broke free from a ruck to touch down, Mitchell landing the conversion.