Aire Wharfe West Merit: Old Brodleians III 10 Keighley Academy 29

DESPITE travelling to Hipperholme with only 13 players, Keighley Academy's youngsters, aided by their more experienced colleagues, stepped up to the plate to clinch a notable victory against the hosts, who were a player short themselves.

The visitors started off down the slope with the wind at their backs, but both sides took the first quarter to find their feet.

Johnny Harrison put Keighley ahead with a 17th-minute penalty, and five minutes later Micky Phillips' crunching tackle created the opportunity for Marcus Jordan to show a clean pair of heels to his opponents and race under the sticks.

Harrison's conversion made it 10-0, and Keighley were given a further tonic just before half-time when Ross Lacey scored his second try in as many games, but the conversion from wide out was missed.

Brods began the second half with an unconverted try before play turned scrappy and tempers frayed.

Keighley, with Harrison instrumental, then began to turn the screw, and they scored on the hour after a lovely break by Lacey was backed up by Phillips for Jimmy Morton to finish under the posts.

Harrisons conversion made it 22-5, and Jordan improved that with a try after pinching the ball in a tackle and running 40 yards to score, with Harrison again adding the extras.

With seconds left, Brods bagged another unconverted try, but that couldn't tarnish the efforts of two-try Jordan, Pete Watson and man of the match Henry Pratt, who all tackled everything that ran at them.

This was the Academy's second straight win after their 41-21 victory at Wharfedale Fourths, and lifted them to eighth in the table.

On Saturday, Keighley Academy host North Ribblesdale Seconds, who, in contrast, have lost both of their matches so far.

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