UNPRECENTED and unique was how the day was described as the Keighley Cougars fell to a 36-20 defeat at the hands of the Wales national team in the Danny Jones Memorial Game.

Wales coach John Kear brought his side to Cougar Park yesterday to honour the memory of Jones – following the untimely death of the Cougars' playmaker on May 3 aged just 29.

With many of the first team unavailable due to pre-arranged commitments, reserve team quintet Josh Hunt, Josh Casey, Alfie Seeley, Aaron Nicholson and Jamal Goodall all made their senior debuts and impressed massively.

Wales took an early lead through Rhys Williams’ first try of the afternoon, and there was a 15-minute delay to proceedings when Newcastle prop Matt Barron sustained a suspected break to his fibia and tibia.

But, the injury to Barron did nothing to stop the Welsh crusade on the Keighley line as Williams grabbed his second before Featherstone-bound Michael Channing acrobatically touched down to take the lead to 14 points.

However, the Cougars – under the temporary stewardship of Adam Mitchell in the absence of Paul March – came back into the game when James Feather’s clever grubber kick was touched down in the corner by Andy Gabriel.

Ricky Hough squeezed over after Goodall came rushing out of the line but Keighley had the last say in the half as Jamaican international Hamish Barnes touched down a clever through kick by Adam Brook.

James Geurtjens powered over from close range with Courtney Davies crossing just a matter of minutes later to put the game out of the home side’s reach.

The occasion meant more than the result on the day but it didn’t stop the club side getting within ten points of their international class opposition.

Ross Peltier threw a clever sidestep to wrong foot All Golds’ full-back Jamie Murphy before powering over from an exchange of passes with Feather before Adam Brook, who recently made his loan switch from Bradford Bulls permanent, did the same to go in under the posts.

South Wales Scorpions’ hooker Connor Farrer had the final say on the day as he crossed next to the uprights.

l Keep reading your T&A and Keighley News this week for more pictures and reaction to the Danny Jones Memorial Game.