Betfred League One

Hunslet 22 Keighley Cougars 38

KEIGHLEY Cougars ended their month-long losing streak with victory at Hunslet as they recovered from a slow start to take the points.

The game marked Brendon Rawlins' 250th appearance for the club and the win left head coach Craig Lingard “delighted”.

Lingard said: “It’s been a tough few weeks since the Bradford defeat and we’ve put in a lot of hard work in training and done some soul searching and got the performance but not the result at York on Sunday.

“I’m delighted that we’ve carried that on into today and there’s been a real shift in atmosphere around the club over the last week and the victory today will help boost that even more.

“You can’t play wide on a pitch as small as Hunslet’s and as much as you want to play rugby, you’ve got to earn the right to play that rugby.

“Three middles on the bench I thought was the way forward and the pitch was really boggy so it did make a difference.

“The start in the first half wasn’t the greatest but the character and composure that the guys have built into their game from a tough few weeks in training and it showed today in the second-half when Hunslet got back into the game.

“But what we saw was that composure I’ve talked about and some excellent game awareness to not only keep in control of the game but see it out.”

The Cougars conceded two tries in the game’s first 10 minutes, both on the back of Hunslet penalties.

The first saw Jimmy Watson break from the tap restart and put one on a plate for Joe Sanderson, who strolled over from 20 metres.

The second came from superb link-up play from Sanderson and his half-back partner Cain Southernwood with the end result Nathan Chappell racing through a gap to touch down.

Lewis Fairhurst would get the visitors back into the game in the 12th minute when on the last tackle he exposed a gap in the Hunslet line to squeeze over from close range.

Lingard’s side drew level though in spectacular fashion as Ryan Wright broke and played a superb one-two with the onrushing Fairhurst who in turn send Wright go over from 40 metres out.

The game was then turned on its head as Keighley took the lead for the first time when from the play the ball Nathan Conroy burrowed his way over and after consulting his touch judge, the referee awarded the try.

Keighley made sure they would have a comfortable buffer going into the interval as Jose Kenga was held out just short but Brad Nicholson had no problems from a metre out.

The Cougars continued their fine form in the game early in the second-half as Nicholson was held out after some superb last-ditch defence by Gary Thornton’s side.

And it would be Hunslet that scored the first try of the second 40 minutes when Watson managed to just squeeze his way over the line.

The Cougars extended their lead once more though as Conroy handed off a would be tackler to touch down for his second effort of the afternoon.

But the hosts kept themselves in the game when Lewis Reed crossed next to the uprights to score against his former club.

Reed’s try seemed to spur the home side but Keighley would score next as Perry Whiteley intercepted and broke 90 metres from which the ball was worked to Adam Ryder to score his first of the season.

Benn Hardcastle would round up the scoring by converting a penalty for holding down in the tackle.

MATCH FACTS:

Cougars: Hawkyard 7; Aaronson 6; Whiteley 7; Ryder 6; Gabriel 6; Hardcastle 8; Fairhurst 7; Rawlins 6; Wright 8; Bailey 6; Lynam 6; Tonks 7; Emmett 7. Subs: Law 7; Conroy 8; Nicholson 7; Kenga 7.

Hunslet: Watson 7; Foggin-Johnston 5; Mvududu 7; Chappell 6; Ashton 5; Sanderson 5; Southernwood 5; Blagborough 4; Lee 5; Nicholson 5; Jordan-Roberts 5; Straugheir 5; Mackay 5. Subs: Haley 5; Reed 6; Roberts 5; Barnett 5.

Cougars: Tries: Fairhurst (14); Wright (24); Conroy (31, 51); Nicholson (39); Ryder (60). Goals: Hardcastle (7/7)

Hunslet: Tries: Sanderson (5); Chappell (9); Watson (45); Reed (56). Goals: Sanderson (3/4)

Attendance: 471

Referee: Andy Sweet (Castleford)