Match Report – GAME 1 – Keighley U 9’s v Huddersfield U 9’s

For the first time since the tied game at Wharfedale on 13th December Keighley Under 9’s had the chance to show just how much their work in training was to tell on the pitch during a competitive game.
Damp wet conditions didn’t deter either team and both started brightly with Keighley powering forward initially with Joseph Myers and Harry Gould taking full advantage of some tentative handling by the Huddersfield backs but a knock on by Tom Richardson gave the first scrum of the day to Huddersfield. The Keighley forwards pressured from the put in and from the loose ball, Scrum Half Keir Welch fed Gould who powered his way through to score in the left corner after less than 2 minutes of play.
Keighley (1) 5 – Huddersfield (0) 0 – 2 minutes played.
Straight from the restart Will Halliday dispossessed the Huddersfield Scrum Half to set up a diagonal run from Zac Scott who was forced into touch on the 5 yard line after slipping 2 determined tackles. The Huddersfield line out led to pressure down the right touch line but some stern tacking by the ever alert Scott on half way forced the Huddersfield player to touch.
It was then nip and tick in midfield with both teams loosing and regaining possession. From the Keighley lineout on the 10 yard line a loose ball was picked up by Halliday who drove to the Huddersfield line where the resulting ruck saw some great defensive play by Huddersfield who played some swift passing along their try line to outwit the Keighley players with the Huddersfield Scrum Half jinking past 2 tackles on the right touchline to then run the entire length of the park for a deserved run-away try.
Keighley (1) 5 – Huddersfield (1) 5 – 12 minutes played.
The final 3 minutes of the half saw a determined Keighley push with both Aaron Wilson and Kian Saunders being forced to ground on the left touchline but on the stroke of half time, a loose ball in midfield saw Richardson scurry to the right corner where he passed to Gould who forced his way through the powerless Huddersfield defence to score his second.
Keighley (2) 10 – Huddersfield (1) 5 – 15 minutes played.
Half Time - Keighley (2) 10 – Huddersfield (1) 5
The entire Keighley forward line-up was changed at half time to give all of the squad a chance to play and this paid immediate dividends at the start of the second half when again Keighley started the brighter of the 2 teams with Jack Rodborne and Joss McArthur quickly showing that their strength would play a part in proceedings.
Great play in midfield from Richardson and Halliday opened up the Huddersfield defence and Rodborne then overwhelmed his shadows to score his first and Keighley’s third in the left corner after 2 minutes of the second half.
Keighley (3) 15 – Huddersfield (1) 5 – 17 minutes played.
Straight from the restart, superb pressure from Alex Wormersley followed by a clean pick-up from Lennon Curr forced Huddersfield to close the doors and concede a penalty. From the scrum, Welch fed the ever available Halliday who off loaded to Rodborne who forced his way through and powered over for his second try.
Keighley (4) 20 – Huddersfield (1) 5 – 19 minutes played.
Again Keighley gave the opposition no time at all to play ball and resolute defence from James Field and determined resistance from Harvey Bird was typical of Keighley’s approach to this game.
However they we again caught napping by a quick break which was identical to the first try conceded when the Huddersfield Centre ran almost unchallenged from a wide ball to narrow the gap with a well worked try.
Keighley (4) 20 – Huddersfield (2) 10 – 20 minutes played.
Keighley answer immediately with Curr latching on to Halliday’s pass directly from the restart to sprint from half way, diagonally into the left corner.
Keighley (5) 25 – Huddersfield (2) 10 – 21 minutes played.
Keighley pressure was unabaiting and they forced 2 quick scrums in succession but to their credit, the Huddersfield team were still competing for every ball. However a loose ball from a rare Huddersfield scrum was pounced on by Halliday and he took route 1 through the centre for a superb individual try on 23 minutes.
Keighley (6) 30 – Huddersfield (2) 10 – 23 minutes played.
The game settled for a few minutes with both sides trading ball in midfield but Keighley showed how their strength and size was critical in the latter stages with both Field and McArthur making some strong tackles.
More Keighley pressure from Wormersley on a loose scrum ball on 10 yards saw him feed Halliday who again capitalised sprinting over for his second of the game
Keighley (7) 35 – Huddersfield (2) 10 – 27 minutes played.
From a Keighley line-out, some great work from both Wilson and Welch led to a series of cross field passes from which Rodborne capitalised to score his third of the game on the final whistle.
Keighley (8) 40 – Huddersfield (2) 10 – 30 minutes played.
Final Score - Keighley (8 Tries) 40 Points – Huddersfield (2 Tries) 10 Points
Keighley Scorers: - Gould 2, Halliday 2, Rodborne 3, Curr 1.
“The boys showed today just how well they can play and they were looking forward to competitive rugby again after so many weeks off” commented Coach Nigel Curr.” There was full commitment from all of our players and they really are now playing together as a team” he added.