Betfred League One

Hemel Stags 16

Keighley Cougars 32

KEIGHLEY Cougars registered a much-needed two points in their Betfred League One play-off hunt with a victory at Hemel Stags.

It was a hard-fought win in difficult conditions for head coach Craig Lingard’s depleted side following the previous week’s off-field problems decimated his squad.

Financial difficulties have seen captain Josh Tonks and Ryan Wright join Hunslet, while Matty Beharrell has gone to another League One rival in Doncaster.

“I’m massively proud of the boys,” admitted Lingard.

“It was a stop-start performance and we spoke to the guys in the dressing rooms and they’re aware of it because they’re saying all the same things that I’m saying.

“There was too many unforced errors from us in that 80 minutes but after the last two weeks we’ve had on and off the field then it’s good to get any sort of win.

“Anthony Bowman has decided he’s going back to Australia and didn’t let me know until 6.30 this morning which isn’t ideal preparation.

“That meant I had to bring Aaron Levy into the side from the reserves and he went really well and I know his dad (player performance manager Frank Levy) will be really proud, as was I.

“But, a scrappy win is a good win and we can start to move forward now.”

But Cougars appeared to have opened the floodgates early with two tries in the opening 10 minutes of the game, the first seeing Christopher Cullimore cut out to the wing from dummy half to cross.

The second try saw Cullimore turn provider, sending Cameron Leeming burrowing over from close range.

The visitors extended their lead further when Benn Hardcastle’s pass floated to the right wing for Davey Dixon to touch down for his first of the season.

However, the home side were showing some real grit and got over for their first score as Jono Burns sold a dummy and squeezed over from two metres.

The half ended with a dangerous tackle on Keighley debutant Aaron Levy that was left on report by the officials despite fans of both sides agreeing a card should have been shown.

The Cougars came firing out of the blocks after the interval to score from both their first two sets of the half.

The first saw Scott Law break the line and put a first senior try on a plate for the supporting Levy.

Immediately from the restart, Andy Gabriel broke through an attempted tackle and raced the length of the field to score beneath the uprights.

The Stags then showed some tenacity in defence but this wall was finally broken through by Brendon Rawlins, who powered his way over from close range to touch down.

Hemel added to their score, though, as Matt Welham crossed the whitewash after a break down the Cougars right-hand side by Shaun Roberts.

Both sides were then reduced to 12 men due to an on-field scuffle and Benn Hardcastle and Corey Hanson were both given a yellow card, a decision that infuriated Lingard.

“The officiating of today’s game is probably the worst I’ve ever seen at any level of the game.

“It was amateurish at best and I will be making contact with Steve Pressley at the RFL this week but I also made contact with him last week and never got a response so I won’t be holding my breath.”

The lowly hosts scored once more following the sin-bins as a grubber in goal caused confusion and allowed Darren Forde to pounce after the referee consulted his assistants.

But Keighley had done enough to provide a much-needed boost.

PLAYER RATINGS:

COUGARS: Aaronson 5; Dixon 5; Leeming 6; Barnes 6; Gabriel 6; Parker 6; Hardcastle 5; Hallas 5; Cullimore 6; Bailey 5; Levy 7; Rawlins 6; Emmett 5. Subs: Law 6; Conroy 5; O’Sullivan 5; Kenga 5.

STAGS: Mitchell 5; Forde 6; K Williams 6; Welham 5; Fitzpatrick-Parry 5; S Roberts 6; Smith 5; R Williams 5; Burns 6; Broadbent 5; Stock 5; D Roberts 5; Esslemont 5. Subs: Howieson 5; Bell 5; Taylor 5; Hanson 5.

COUGARS: Tries: Cullimore (5); Leeming (9); Dixon (19); Levy (41); Gabriel (43); Rawlins (57). Goals: Hardcastle (4/6). Sin Bin: Hardcastle (66 – Dangerous Tackle)

STAGS: Tries: Burns (28); Welham (64); Forde (70). Goals: Smith (2/3). Sin Bin: Hanson (66 – Running In)

ATTENDANCE: 136

REFEREE: Brandon Robinson (Dewsbury)