Betfred League One

Keighley Cougars 16

Hunslet 24

KEIGHLEY Cougars fell to a home defeat at the hands of Hunslet in a classic game of two halves.

The home side raced into a 16-point lead before surrendering in the second half, however both head coach Craig Lingard and Hunslet counterpart Gary Thornton were left fuming by the standard of the officiating.

“We’ve lost a game we should have won,” admitted Lingard.

“Yes we’ll look at ourselves and blame ourselves and look at our errors and missed tackles but the referee has dictated that game.

“That today was the worst refereeing performance I have ever seen and it’s why both sides finished the game with men off the field because he completely lost control.

“He absolutely lost it and didn’t have a clue what he was doing. He was making decisions and his touch judges had to overturn those decisions because nobody had a clue what he was doing.

“It’s not ill discipline from the boys, it is pathetic refereeing.

"We got our last penalty after 20 minutes, how can any team whether it is Hunslet or anybody go 60 minutes without conceding a penalty?

“The RFL will say it’ll be dealt with in house but it needs to be dealt with in public but people need to see the standard of refereeing in League One because it’s absolute dross.”

The home side opened the scoring early when a Benn Hardcastle kick caught both Daley Williams and Aiden Hema cold, allowing Josh Lynam to touch the ball down.

Hardcastle had an effort ruled out shortly after, with the referee judging he was offside from Ritchie Hawkyard’s grubber in goal.

The visitors were then reduced to 12 men for the final hour of the game after Lewis Reed was shown red for a late shot on Dan Parker, which was missed by the official but noted by his touch judge.

It was Hardcastle on hand once more to add the extras, and he took the two points on offer to him once more moments later after the South Leeds outfit were penalised for a high tackle.

Cameron Leeming then thought he had extended the home side’s advantage after Jimmy Watson failed to diffuse the Hardcastle bomb in goal but the try was disallowed for offside.

Another bomb, this time by Parker, caught Hunslet napping and, after Josh Lynam flicked the ball back into the in-goal area, Hardcastle was on hand to touch it down.

But the Cougars wouldn’t keep the visitors scoreless at the interval as Cain Southernwood broke from a show and go and put a try on a plate for the onrushing Jimmy Watson.

The second half was a feisty affair, and former Cougars captain Josh Tonks, rattled by the home support’s jeers, was lucky to not receive his marching orders for a stamp on Nathan Conroy.

And things finally boiled over on the hour mark as Lynam was sent for an unscheduled breather after a late shot on Watson.

Hunslet then got back in the game through Liam Mackay who raced through a gap next to the posts.

The visitors then thought they had levelled but David Foggin-Johnston’s effort was ruled out for a knock-on.

However, Hawkyard and Hamish Barnes were both sin-binned in the 75th minute. The former for time wasting despite the referee stopping the clock, and the latter for a professional foul.

Hunslet would take full advantage with two late tries through Mufaro Mvududu and Michael Haley to snatch the victory.

The Cougars finished with 10 men come the full-time hooter as Mike Emmett was shown a red card following Haley’s score.

MATCH STATS:

PLAYER RATINGS:

COUGARS: Hawkyard 5; Dixon 5; Leeming 6; Barnes 5; Aaronson 5; Parker 6; Hardcastle 7; Bailey 5; Conroy 6; Hallas 6; Griffin 5; Lynam 7; Emmett 5. Subs: Law 5; O’Sullivan 5; Kenga 6; Moran 5.

HUNSLET: Watson 6; Foggin-Johnston 6; Chappell 5; Mvududu 6; Williams 5; Sanderson 5; Southernwood 5; Hema 5; Lee 5; Nicholson 5; Tonks 5; Straugheir 7; Foster 5. Subs: Haley 6; Reed 5; Mackay 6; Halmshaw 5.

COUGARS: Tries: Lynam (7); Hardcastle (31). Goals: Hardcastle (4/4). Sin Bin: Lynam (60 – Late Tackle); Hawkyard (75 – Unsporting Behaviour); Barnes (75 – Professional Foul). Sent Off: Emmett (80 – Dissent)

HUNSLET: Tries: Watson (35); Mackay (67); Mvududu (76); Haley (80). Goals: Sanderson (4/4). Sent Off: Reed (19 – Dangerous Tackle)

ATTENDANCE: 793