Keighley Cougars’ head coach Barry Eaton is one of three nominations for the National League Two Coach of the Year award.

The name of the winner will be revealed at the Co-operative National League’s Awards Dinner at Elland Road, Leeds, on Tuesday, September 23.

The other nominations for the award are: Dave Woods from Gateshead Thunder and Martin Crompton from Blackpool Panthers.

Eaton (pictured right) joined the Keighley coaching staff as assistant coach in 2006 after moving to Cougar Park from Batley. He was promoted to head coach following the departure of Peter Roe prior to the start of the 2007 season.

Since taking the head coach’s role Barry, 34, has overseen the creation of a talented young side at Cougar Park which has made a significant impact on National League Two this year ending the regular season in fifth position.

Eaton, who has previously played for Batley, Dewsbury, Wakefield Trinity, Widnes and Doncaster, is still a registered Cougars player but prefers to spend his match-days on the touchline keeping an eye on his young charges.

Cougars chairman Neil Spencer said: “Barry turned down an opportunity to coach Dewsbury earlier this year but decided to keep faith with us here at Cougar Park.

“He has worked hard with limited funds to create a competitive Keighley team and that has been reflected in the team's performances this year.

“The future looks really exciting for Cougars and we’re very proud that Barry’s hard work has been recognised by his nomination for the Coach of the Year award.”

Keighley Cougars’ latest hat-trick hero, prop Andy Shickell, is looking forward to this Sunday’s National League Two elimination semi-final against Rochdale Hornets.

Halifax-based Shickell, whose first-ever hat-trick of tries helped Cougars beat Workington Town 32-14 in last Sunday’s home elimination play-off, is happy that Keighley are going into the tie with Hornets in a great frame of mind.

“We’ve beaten Rochdale twice already this season so we know that we can beat them,” said the 27-year-old forward who spends his working days jointing cables throughout the Keighley and Halifax regions.

And Andy might be able to help Keighley’s tactical approach to the tie because he has recently taken another look at the Hornets.

He said: “I watched them play against Doncaster and they’re a decent side. Their new coach Darren Shaw has clearly worked hard with them so we know what we have to do.”

Shickell’s powerhouse display against Workington brought him the official Man-of-the-Match award for the game but he was more concerned about the Cougars’ team effort.

“Workington made us work hard for the win but we got there in the end,” he said. “We’ve worked hard throughout the season and feel that we’re making progress as a team.

“We’re still in the play-offs with a great chance and we’re just one game away from making the finals day at Warrington.

“There’s no doubt that we have a great chance of taking that step and it’s going to be a great occasion when we meet Rochdale at Cougar Park on Sunday”. The match kicks off at 3pm.