KEIGHLEY Albion have made a bright start to the Yorkshire Men’s League season, despite having to jump up two divisions.

They beat Hull Wyke in the Division Three final at Featherstone Rovers’ Millennium Stadium, but with promotion and relegation YML often based on ability, as opposed to being linear, Albion have shot up to Division One.

And they began their 75th anniversary year with a bang under head coach Josh Ireland, as they won their opener 44-24 at Sharlston Rovers.

All eight of Keighley’s tries were scored by different players, one of whom was Jacob Cox, who also landed six of his eight conversion attempts.

Kieron Blakeley, Connor Meegan, Finlay Meegan, Jak Adams, Connor Taylor, Jack Kennedy and Joseph Preston were the other seven players to cross the whitewash for the visitors.

The impressive win puts Albion third in the embryonic seven-team table, which ironically is topped by Hull Wyke, who have joined their West Yorkshire rivals in moving up two divisions for 2023.

Albion play their second game of the season this Saturday, with that also coming on the road, on this occasion at Ossett Trinity Tigers.

Ossett have lost both of their games so far, so Keighley will have high hopes of staying unbeaten.

Albion’s first home league game comes against Hull Wyke, of all teams, on Saturday, April 22.