Keighley gain first Y1 points of season in bonus point win.

Keighley Report to come later

Report from Old Crossleyans website
KEIGHLEY 24 OLD CROSSLEYANS 12
BY RYAN PRICE
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report by Martin Staples, pictures by Max Uttley
KEIGHLEY 24 OLD CROSSLEYANS 12
Old Crossleyans were unable to reproduce the exuberant and stylish play of last week’s win against West Leeds. Instead, they produced a comparatively lacklustre display in a scrappy game with Keighley the better team on the day. To be fair, Crocs can point to unforeseen circumstances which clearly influenced the result. Several changes had to be made to the starting line up because of unavailability and they lost the services of three players to injury. Billy Hammond and James Davies had to leave the field midway through the first half and Martin Hamer retired with a serious looking ankle injury in the second half. The enforced redeployment of personnel, and the inevitable disruption to playing patterns, resulted in a performance which lacked the usual trademark cohesion and continuity.
It all started so well. Crocs took the lead after only four minutes with a try of real quality. Chris Vine retrieved the ball deep in his own ‘22’ and broke through the midfield cover to half way. Josh Hunt and Callum Dunne exchanged a series of passes, including a loop around, which turned the Keighley defence inside out enabling the full back to touch down. Joe Gallagher’s successful conversion gave Crocs a 7-0 lead.
Keighley responded well and forced a lineout 5m from the Crocs’ line. The ball was overthrown but Crocs were unable to clear their lines as Keighley maintained possession. Effective tackling eventually forced a knock on and the threat was nullified. On the quarter hour Crocs were awarded a penalty and they kicked to the Keighley ‘22’. Having secured the line out, a promising build up was halted when the referee called the move back for ‘crossing’.
Keighley drew level midway through the half. Having put the Crocs’ defence under intense pressure accumulating the phases, a cut out pass found Declan Hampson in space. The hooker had an unopposed run to the line between the posts and Jack Atkinson’s conversion levelled the scores.
The rest of the half was unremarkable with few attacking opportunities for either team. Keighley won lineout ball to set up a rolling drive but lost possession allowing Joe Gallagher to clear to safety. Both teams were losing ball in contact, testimony maybe to the quality of defence, then Crocs kicked out on the full, much to the frustration of the travelling support. Chris Vine sprinted down the left wing and kicked ahead but the Keighley defence covered the move and snuffed out the danger. Somewhat appropriately, and typifying the pattern of the first half from both teams, Crocs knocked on in midfield and the referee blew for half time.
Keighley started the second half immediately on the offensive and scored two tries in the opening seven minutes to put daylight between the two sides. The first came after only two minutes when Crocs kicked possession away inviting the home team to build the phases. Their patience was rewarded when Will McLaughlin touched down in the corner. Minutes later, slack tackling allowed Keighley to carry the ball deep into Crocs’ territory and a back line move saw Richard Tillotson score wide out on the right flank. Both conversions were missed but Keighley led 17-7.
Crocs had an excellent opportunity to reduce the arrears with a flowing move which saw backs and forwards combining effectively. Unfortunately, with the line seemingly open and with players in support, Keighley’s scrambling defence held up the move and Crocs were penalised for not releasing. Shortly after, Joe Gallagher’s attempted penalty hit the post and Keighley had retained their ten point advantage.
Having withstood this period of pressure, Keighley then stretched the lead with a try midway through the half. Breaking from their own half and slicing through the midfield cover, a flowing move resulted in Sean Kelly scoring by the posts. The bonus point had been secured and the successful conversion made it 24-7.
The Crocs’ response was immediate and, despite the disruption created by the catalogue of injuries, they went downfield and scored. Having been awarded a penalty for offside within the Keighley ‘22’, they took the tap option and executed a series of pick and go drives which resulted in Joel Lemmink crashing over the line to score his first try for the club.
Frustratingly, the restart was fumbled but Keighley were pushed off their own scrum feed. Chris Vine sprinted away from the defence down the left wing but lacked support. Entering stoppage time it was Keighley who controlled possession and territory. They were awarded a penalty for a deliberate knock on and kicked to the corner. Another penalty was given for a high tackle and this time Keighley took the scrum option 10m out. Crocs refused to buckle and turned the ball over to relieve the pressure. They finished on the attack looking to break out of their own half in search of a try which would salvage a losing bonus point. It was not to be and the referee blew for full time.
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