Kingstone Press League One: Keighley Cougars 74 South Wales Ironmen 6

KEIGHLEY Cougars responded to calls from head coach Craig Lingard to step up their game by routing South Wales Ironmen.

And it was the response that Lingard was craving as his side dominated throughout last night's game.

The tone was set early on as Andy Gabriel rounded the visitors' defence to touch down.

It wouldn’t be long before the home side scored once more as Liam Darville scored the first of a personal four-try haul as he finished a downfield break.

Adam Ryder then continued his impressive debut season at semi-professional level as he ran through a number of South Wales defenders to dive over from 30 metres.

Darville then sealed his second try as he raced over unchallenged after great work by Davey Dixon to set the full back free.

The Ironmen wouldn’t got home nilled, however, as veteran Christiaan Roets handed off Vinny Finigan to slide his way over the Keighley line.

But the final say of the half went to the home side as Brad Nicholson rode a tackle to touch down underneath the uprights ten minutes before the half-time hooter.

Cougars really turned the screw though as they ran in eight unanswered second-half tries, starting with Dixon exploiting space in the Ironmen’s line to score his first of the season.

Darville then wrapped up a first professional hat-trick after great work by Matty Beharrell to create the space.

South Wales were then playing solely for pride, but it didn’t stop Lingard’s side scoring three tries in six minutes to really rub salt into the wounds.

Dixon, celebrating a recent call-up to the Scotland squad, touched down for his second after a Vinny Finigan break made the metres and left a number of would-be defenders trailing.

Josh Tonks was the next Cougars player to add his name to  the scoreboard as he touched down following three consecutive penalties on the Ironmen’s line.

Scott Law then dived beneath the posts from close range after taking James Feather’s pass from the play the ball.

Tonks managed to break an attempted tackle before referee Brandon Robinson ruled a free play following a South Wales hand knocking the ball loose, and from a Ryder kick through, Darville managed to get to the ball in time for his fourth.

Gabriel then wrapped the comprehensive victory up in style, diving over in the corner moments before the final hooter sounded.