ADAM Ryder has been on a hot streak for Keighley Cougars and head coach Craig Lingard is delighted that the centre is coming into form after his slow start to the campaign.

Lingard admitted: "He was struggling a little bit for confidence at the start of the season.

"We had him in for a chat before the Hunslet game (on March 30) because he was on the verge of being left out as his performances weren't quite up to scratch.

"We spoke with Adam and let him know that we were looking for an improvement in his performances and since we had that chat he's scored four tries in three games."

Lingard was a little disappointed by one of Ryder's decisions in the huge win over Hemel Stags though, and it took another quiet word in his ear to do the trick.

Lingard explained: "He was three yards from the line and he had a 5ft 6ins half back in front of him and he tried to pass to his winger."

"I said to him half-jokingly before the the Oldham game that if he did that this week, I'd be dropping him for a month!"

Ryder's selfishness served him well against the Roughyeds as he scored Cougars' third try but that was one of the few bright spots in the team's disappointing 32-18 defeat on Sunday.

After a dreadful start, Cougars pulled the score back to within two points at the break, but Lingard was disappointed with the second-half performance.

He moaned: "We just didn't get any field position and we made four or five individual errors that let us down and put us under pressure.

"We've managed to get those unforced errors out of our game in the last three or four weeks but they caught up with us on Sunday."

Winger Josh Tonks scored a lovely try for Cougars in the game, but he was later placed on report for a dangerous tackle.

Lingard seemed unfazed by a potential suspension for Tonks, saying: "We've got people to come back in. Josh Lynam has missed out the last two weeks and he's busting a gut to return so we've got cover there in the back row.

"We've also got Perry Whiteley who missed out at the weekend because he wasn't 100 per cent fit so we've got plenty of options to bring in should Josh get a ban."

Looking ahead to this Sunday's clash away at Newcastle Thunder, Lingard knows his side face a tough game, admitting: "They've got some big, strong and experienced middles. They've also got a lot of pace in their backs.

"They've got Tee Ritson who plays at full back and he's like lightning. You've also got Lewis Young at half back. He scored three tries against us last year and he's got pace to burn.

"They can strike all over the park so we need to make sure we get into the game. We've started badly in several games this season and we have to make sure that we don't give ourselves a mountain to climb early on."

Meanwhile, Cougars have signed former England international Darrell Griffin for the rest of the season.

The former Wakefield Trinity and Leeds Rhinos prop has joined Cougars following a brief spell in rugby union with Morley following his departure from Featherstone Rovers in January.

He has also played for Harlequins Rugby Union before moving on to join the Huddersfield Giants where his performances earned him an England call-up for the 2010 Four Nations where he would go on to earn two caps for his country.

In 2012, Griffin joined the Rhinos and in his sole season at Headingley, he won both the World Club Challenge and Super League. He was also a part of the side that lost that season’s Challenge Cup Final.

Griffin then joined the Salford Red Devils following their takeover by Marwan Koukash and spent three seasons there before dropping down a division to sign with Featherstone Rovers.

In both his seasons at Featherstone, Griffin helped the club achieve back-to-back top four finishes in the Championship which allowed Rovers to compete in The Qualifiers for promotion into the Super League.

The veteran forward will wear the number 35 jersey for Cougars.