Errors aplenty but Cougars sneak win (From Keighley News)

Errors aplenty but Cougars sneak win

3:37pm Wednesday 3rd February 2010

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Blackpool Panthers 22, Keighley Cougars 24

Cougars chief Barry Eaton knows his side have a long way to go after they got out of jail late in their Northern Rail Cup opener.

The crucial try came 12 minutes from time as Keighley won a nail-biter against Blackpool Panthers, having trailed 12-2 at half-time.

A comeback had looked unlikely when Greg Nicholson was sin-binned after the break and the hosts scored to make it 16-2.

But the Cougars scored four tries in the final 30 minutes, through Brendon Rawlins, Dan Belcher, James Haythornthwaite and Gavin Duffy, to clinch a victory that was essential if they are to have any serious designs on the cup.

The Rawlins and Belcher scores had got the visitors back into the game but Kris Ratcliffe’s try on 58 minutes put Panthers back in the ascendancy.

However, Haythornthwaite and then Duffy – after strong running from Andy Shickell – touched down to seal the tie.

Eaton said: “We were pretty flat and pretty lethargic and the game was slow because of the conditions. It was pretty sticky underfoot, which slowed the ruck down, but we allowed them to dominate that area anyway.

“I think we realised we’d given ourselves a big task to get out of trouble and we’re pleased with how we responded.

“But hopefully we’ve learned a lesson, because we won’t get away with that very often this season.

“We got the win, which is the important thing, but we’re still a long way off.”

Eaton does not think the problems his side experienced during the first half are too deep-rooted.

Basic errors gifted Blackpool possession and tries, yet the Cougars head coach is confident solutions can be found in training.

Eaton said: “We didn’t deal with the kick-off on two occasions and we made one or two fundamental errors when we weren’t under any pressure and they led to tries. They were flabbergasting errors but it wasn’t as if Blackpool were bursting through our line – we contributed to our own downfall.

“When we started playing the way we wanted to play, we looked better, made some inroads and started to make some clean breaks. We know we’ve got plenty to work on.”

Will Cartledge suffered an ankle sprain during the match but had it strapped up and carried on.

Eaton said: “We felt we needed his influence because he was our stand-out performer and we couldn’t afford to lose him.”

Cougars: Belcher, Moss, Burton, Williams, Duffy, Presley, Jones D, Shickell, Feather, Law, Cartledge, Pursglove, Nicholson. Reps: Wray, Rawlins, Benjafield, Haythornthwaite.

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