Hunslet Hawks 22 Keighley Cougars 4

Anybody going to Hunslet hoping to watch a fast-flowing, open game was bound to be disappointed – this was tough, uncompromising rugby league at its rawest.

Cougars coach Jason Demetriou’s stated aim to play all his squad over the pre-season friendlies saw Richard Lopag and Ben Sagar coming in at wing and centre, and Luke Helliwell returning at half-back.

Once again, Keighley were led by the mighty charges of Andy Shickell, with the giant prop in outstanding form against his former club.

He was ably assisted by two other former Hawks, with Will Cartledge solid as ever and Jamaine Wray causing all types of problems from dummy half.

It was Wray who set up the Cougars’ only score on 13 minutes that cancelled out David Clayton’s early try for Hunslet.

Wray broke away from the play-the-ball, threw a couple of dummys to bamboozle the defence and then produced an inch-perfect kick with the outside of his foot for the supporting Gav Duffy to touch down in the corner, just too far out for Danny Lawton to add the extras.

It was rich reward for Duffy, whose enthusiam and hard work stood out for the Cougars all afternoon.

After James Houston gave the Hawks the lead when Keighley’s defence failed to deal with a grubber kick through, the game proceeded to stagnate into a series of penalties and mini-brawls that culminated in the sin-binning of Cougars’ Brendon Rawlins.

Hunslet’s Cakacaka Tabuanitoga was also put on report for a tackle on Chris Baines.

With four minutes left in the half, Hunslet further increased their advantage as David March wriggled his way over from short range.

The Cougars dominated in the second half as they pressured the Hunslet line time and time again but could not find their way over.

Another breakaway from half-way by Shickell came to nothing, Dan Belcher failed to hold a Paul Drake chip with the line close and Helliwell was held up short after being put through by Ryan Smith.

They were further frustrated by the sin-binning of Olly Pursglove for throwing the ball away after being held up.

This seemed harsh in view of the fact that the string of penalties prior to the sin-binning had all gone Keighley’s way due to Hawks indiscretions, with no action from the match officials.

With the clock nearing the 80-minute mark, Hunslet scored their final try of the afternoon when Danny Grimshaw ghosted through a tiring Cougars defence.