KEIGHLEY'S LATE SURGE EARNS 5 POINT VICTORY

Wath upon Dearne 24 Keighley 27

A victory snatched from the jaws of defeat. Keighley started well gaining an early penalty for Alex Brown. Pressuring the opposition line they came very close to a score, dogged defence kept them out. Wath having absorbed the early pressure slowly gained confidence and were able to slow or steal Keighley ball at the contact area. In an attempt to rectify the situation the Keighley team work became disjointed causing them to concede a number of soft penalties. From one such penalty Wath took play deep into the opposition territory, eventually veteran scrum half Joe Bartlett took advantage of poor defence at a ruck darting over to score, outside half Jack Whitlam added the conversion. Towards the end of the half with Keighley struggling to put their game together Whitlam turned the constant pressure into points with a well struck dropped goal.

In the second half Keighley continued to struggle, although they gained good possession the delivery was slow which allowed the Wath defence to get on the front foot. Unable to break through in the backs they chose to take the more direct route using their big forwards to pick and drive. Once again territorial pressure told and Whitlam added to his tally with a penalty. Keighley forcing themselves back into the game managed to put some phases together and gained good field position, their hard work was wasted when the ball was literally given away wide out. Wath’s seventeen year old winger Adam Clark hacked the ball forward and his enterprise was rewarded with a try in the corner. Two further penalties from Whitlam added to the visitors woes. With less than fifteen minutes left on the clock and twenty one points adrift Keighley began to play some sensible open rugby, keeping the ball available and away from the big Wath forwards they gained a line out deep in the opposition territory, a take and drive gave wing forward Shaun Miniken a well earned try. For the last ten minutes of the game Keighley were totally dominant leading to two tries for winger Luke Carter, after some brilliant approach work by player coach Hamish Pratt, Substitute full back Olly Mitchell added both conversions. It looked like Keighley were going to at least gain a losing bonus point, however, in the last minute of injury time winger Jack Atkinson managed to finish off some rugged forward play when he reached out to snatch victory with a score in the corner.