Eaton wants game of patience (From Keighley News)

Eaton wants game of patience

11:13pm Thursday 2nd July 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

Keighley Cougars 44, Hornets RL 16

Cougars head coach Barry Eaton admitted to having mixed feelings to his team’s seven-try romp over Co-operative Championship One Club Hornets RL at Cougar Park.

“I was pleased with the result,” he said, “but disappointed with my team’s performance.

“You couldn’t help feeling that we would have scored far more points if we had showed some composure and stopped trying to score with almost every drive.

“We’ve got to learn to show far more patience and take the chances when they come along.

“It’s something that’s been troubling us all season and is something we need to work hard on if we want to make progress.”

Eaton also conceded that the Cougars’ frequent handling blunders were frustrating him.

“It’s either a lack of concentration or we have the attacking alignments all wrong. Whatever it is we’ve got to fix it.”

But the Keighley boss was satisfied that the Cougars had disposed of any lingering effects of their embarrassing televised 46-6 defeat at Dewsbury Rams and that they have moved back into third place in the table.

Added Eaton: “Of course, it was good to get back into winning ways and, while the winning margin could have been improved, we got the job done in the end.

“It was very hot out there and that made playing conditions very difficult.”

Eaton and the Cougar Park faithful must have thought that it was going to be a very special day for their side when Keighley raced into an 8-0 lead after five minutes with a try by loose forward Carl Hughes and two goals from Danny Jones.

But the Rochdale-based side showed that they should be treated with respect by overtaking the Cougars with tries by stand-off Martin Ainscough and centre Casey Mayberry, both of which were converted by scrum half Steven Roper.

Keighley regained control when winger Ryan Smith and stand-off Jon Presley crossed for tries in the 21st and 24th minutes and Jones added a conversion and two penalties.

But the seminal moment of the game came when Roper had to limp off, never to return, with an ankle injury in the 36th minute.

After that the Hornets’ attacking options were considerably reduced.

Cougars’ shaky defence was picked open for the last time in the 43rd minute when winger Lee Mapals failed to hold a kick into the in-goal area and Hornets winger John Gillam touched down.

After that Cougars’ greater pace saw them accelerate away with tries by prop Andy Shickell, Jones, centre Daley Williams and full back George Raynor. Jones converted three of the four second-half touchdowns.

Cougars’ run of serious injuries has continued, however.

Before the game, winger Gavin Duffy injured his ankle at work and looks like being ruled out for four weeks, while injury-plagued prop Craig Brown went to hospital after the game with a suspected fractured thumb.

Brown missed some games earlier in the season with a broken hand.

• Visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Z2q18vTkVs to see match action

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)