Ollett double can't prevent narrow defeat for Keighley Cougars

THE Cougars slipped to a narrow defeat in their second pre-season friendly as a youthful Halifax side edged an entertaining encounter.

A crowd of 457 at a bitterly cold Cougar Park saw the Championship visitors field a largely reserve team and they took the spoils thanks to a second-half try from replacement Martyn Reilly.

Keighley, who mixed a number of first-team regulars and youngsters, lost loose forward Ash Lindsay to injury during the opening exchanges and he was replaced by former Hull KR player Aaron Ollett.

Halifax soon led when Tommy Saxton touched down a kick from Ben Johnston. But the Cougars replied when ex-Bulls youngster Adam Brook aimed a short grubber kick behind the Halifax defence and Ollett pounced to touch down.

Halifax steadied themselves in highly impressive fashion and hit back five minutes later when hooker Brandon Moore made an outstanding break.

Moore drove at the heart of the Keighley defence and Johnston collected his pass to scamper under the posts for a delightful score.

Halifax continued to probe and scored again in the 24th minute when centre Chester Butler made a formidable break inside the right channel and produced a deft offload to send over Callum Dunne.

Scrum half Billy Gaylor then showed speed and strength to break a tackle and race over the line for another visiting try in the 28th minute.

The Cougars refused to buckle and fashioned a response before half-time which saw Brook show a touch of class as he dummied past a visiting defender and squeezed over the line.

The former Odsal junior added the extras to make it 20-12 at the break – and the hosts scored again shortly after the restart as Ollett ploughed over the line for his second try of the game.

Paul March's men struck again in the 52nd minute when hulking prop Ross Peltier barrelled over the line and Brook's conversion made it 24-20.

Yet Halifax were not done and claimed the decisive final score in the 55th minute when Reilly engineered the space inside the right channel to cross the line.