SSE Yorkshire Division Two

Keighley 15

West Park Leeds 23

KEIGHLEY'S players trooped off to hearty applause that may not have been matched sometimes when they had won.

Both coaches, while agreeing that the best team triumphed, also agreed that Keighley's efforts deserved two league points – one for scoring four tries and another for losing by fewer than seven points.

There were several moments that Keighley could look back on as turning points, such as the penalty ruling against home full back Liam Everett late in the first half for getting to his feet too slowly having fallen on the ball, which handed West Park Leeds winger Simon Towler an easy three points, stretching the visitors' lead to 18-10.

Another was the lack of communication at half-back when scrum half Ollie Mitchell's hurried clearance kick early in the second half when the score was still the same – fly half Rob Wilkinson was waiting for the ball to be passed back to him so he could clear – led to continuation of West Park pressure that led to a try by visiting skipper John Fletcher.

And yet another was referee Liam Taylor (South Yorkshire Society) penalising Keighley second row Leigh Sugden for picking the ball out of the back of a ruck in the 68th minute, his pass giving flanker Shaun Minikin a clear run to the posts for what would have been a converted try which would have left the hosts only a point adrift at 23-22.

"It was a very good effort, and I have told the lads that," admitted Keighley's director of rugby Graeme Sheffield, "but sport can be cruel and things tend to go against you when you are lower in the table.

"Our line-out was superb, our pack was excellent in general and the backs are looking threatening but we gave West Park Leeds too much respect in the first half after we got that early try.

"We had another new half-back pairing, and both Rob Wilkinson and Ollie Mitchell were excellent, and we hope to have Danny McGee (medial ligament) back in a fortnight and Alex Brown (shoulder) and Stuart Inman (knee) returning early in the new year."

West Park Leeds coach Dave Duxbury said: "You could not fault the lads for effort but conditions dictated how the game was played.

"In the last ten minutes, there were four of our players on one leg but we scored two well-taken tries in the first half."

There was standing water beyond the barriers but the well-grassed pitch stood up well to the rain of the previous day.

Keighley made a perfect start, impressive left winger Luke Carter diving over in the corner but two clinical tries by visiting scrum half Sam Clewes, one of which was converted by Towler, gave West Park a 12-5 advantage after 20 minutes.

Wilkinson showed good pace and a good side-step for Keighley's second unconverted try four minutes later but Towler closed the half with two penalties for an 18-10 lead.

Fletcher's try was countered by a try for prop Craig Spencer from a pushover but Keighley could not quite convert their late pressure into the reward of league points.