Hemel Stags 20 Keighley Cougars 54

DANNY Jones became only the fifth Cougars player to reach 1,000 points for the club but was overshadowed by two-try man of the match Hamish Barnes on his debut.

Jamaican international Barnes said: “Debuts don’t get much better than that. I’ve been putting myself through some intense training to earn the spot in the team.

“The pace is different to that of the international game and it’s a pace I feel comfortable at and hopefully I’ve done enough to keep my place in the side for the Newcastle game.”

Keighley took four minutes to open the scoring when Josh Lynam fell over the line from Paul Handforth’s offload.

Despite a swift reply from Eddie M’Baraga, Jones’ clever kick was collected by Barnes, whose swift offload sent the Welshman over to reach his milestone.

Alex Anthony’s length-of-the-field effort brought Hemel within two before Keighley ran in 26 unanswered points.

Handforth scored two tries in three minutes before the interval, first weaving his way through a number of Stags defenders before touching down his own kick.

After the interval Barnes grabbed the first of his brace after collecting Jones' well-placed pass for his first professional try before Lynam’s clever grubber sent Gavin Duffy over in the corner.

The points blitz ended for Keighley when Jones’ lovely pass out wide sent Paul White in at the corner but, despite two quick tries through Derrell Olpherts and Liam O’Callaghan, any chance of a Hemel comeback was quickly quashed.

Duffy scored his second when he saw off interest from two committed Hemel defenders to squeeze over in the corner.

Lynam was the next to complete a two-try haul when he got over in similar fashion to his first earlier in the game, this time falling onto a clever pass out the back by Ross Peltier on the prop’s return from injury.

But it was star of the show Barnes who wrapped up the scoring for the visitors when, on the final hooter, he took hold of the ball to race over next to the posts.