Keighley Cougars Reserves 46 Dewsbury Rams Reserves 16

COUGARS Reserves recorded their first victory of the season as they blew defending champions Dewsbury away.

Beaming coach Scott Lindsey said: “Before the game we set ourselves a benchmark and we went into the game with a big pack, who stuck to the game plan and kept it simple down the middle of the park and we executed it to perfection.

“I said the forwards would win the game if the backs scored the points and that’s exactly what happened.”

Captain Josh Casey got the Cougars off to the best possible start when he crossed after three minutes but the Rams hit back when Sam Dunn touched down Kieron Holt’s cross-field kick.

But, Lindsey’s side went into half-time with a 12-point lead, with Aaron Nicholson first fighting his way over the Rams line before Jack Kennedy raced through a bus-sized gap to cross just before the interval.

The Cougars continued the onslaught with Jake Ward turning his way through a tackle to touch down and, despite Dominic Kudangirana going over from the play-the-ball, it wasn’t long before Keighley went over again, with Troy Anderson diving over from Christopher Cullimore’s break.

Man of the match Josh Hunt scored the first of his brace when he managed to get his outstretched arm over the line and, despite another Dewsbury consolation through Dom Horne’s try, Hunt scored his second as he broke through the line and raced half the field to go in underneath the uprights.

The only downside for Keighley were injuries to half-back pair Alfie Seeley (nose) and Hunt (head), with both having their evenings ended early.

Aiden Scully completed the victory with his first try for the Reserves as he raced over in the corner after a clever offload under pressure from debutant Ash Yarrow.

COUGARS: Barrett, Davey, Casey, Ward, Scully, Hunt, Seeley, Morrow, Cullimore, Yarrow, McGuigan, Nicholson, Goodall. Subs (All used): Graham, Kennedy, Hutchinson, Anderson.