KEIGHLEY MARCH ON WITH 3 WINS OUT OF 3

Bill Marshall in the Telegraph and Argus writes:
Bradford Salem 17 Keighley 19

A PENALTY eight minutes into stoppage time by Alex Brown maintained Keighley's unbeaten start to the campaign.
For hosts Bradford Salem, however, it was a case of deja vu in a match where the lead changed hands six times as they had to settle for a third successive losing bonus point.

Players took water on board at regular intervals on a sweltering afternoon, and the home side, who were without flanker Conor Wood, who failed a late fitness test on an ankle injury, led via an Andy Robinson penalty as early as the third minute in their first home game of the season.

Brown cancelled that out nine minutes later, and the same players repeated the dose the opposite way round as the score got to 6-6 by the 27th minute, Keighley having had prop Craig Spencer sin-binned for a high tackle on flanker Conor Killen.

Salem lost scrum half Jack Mitchell (knock to the head) and replacement Sam Gardner (rolled ankle) in quick succession as the half drew towards a close, and Keighley got the only try of the stanza in the 38th minute when Brown's kick through was half stopped but deflected neatly into the hands of right winger Jack Atkinson, who stepped inside full back Kodie Brook to score, with Brown converting for 13-6.

Salem were boosted by the presence of Louis Chaudron, who is primarily their physio, off the bench from the 49th minute, and Robinson's third penalty reduced the margin to four points a minute later.

Then, after Keighley centre Adam Horsfall was yellow carded for a no-arms tackle in the 51st minute, Salem No 8 Christian Baines got on the end of a pushover try to put the home side ahead eight minutes later.

Leading 14-13, Salem threatened to go further ahead via a telling run by Brook and an interception by right winger Ryan Smith.

A low trajectory Brown penalty gave Keighley the lead by two points in the 70th minute but after visiting winger Luke Carter was knocked out in trying to tackle Chaudron, Robinson's fourth penalty two minutes into stoppage time seemed to have sealed it for Salem.

However, Brown was striking the ball well all afternoon, and made no mistake from near the Salem ten-metre line to win it for the visitors six minutes later.

Keighley are second in the table, a point behind fellow 100 per centers Bridlington, but Keighley's 's head coach Dan McGee said: "We haven't set ourselves a target as to where we want to finish the season, either before it started or now.

"It is like Hamish Pratt said last season – we are on a journey, we take it at a game a time and we will see where it takes us."

Third-from-bottom Salem only have a points difference of minus ten, but have lost all three matches, and director of rugby Sam Gardner said: "I can't criticise the players for their effort and we have certainly improved but the next lesson we need to learn is to play for 80 minutes."

The Utley men remain 2nd in the Y1 Table, one point behind new leaders Bridlington.

Next week Keighley have another tough encounter when they host Beverley, demoted from North 1 East last season, who visit Utley for a 3 pm KO.