Castleford 3 Keighley 34

Early pressure gave Keighley territorial advantage and a penalty for Alex Brown. A little later after some promising approach play and some straight running from centre Marco Ferrazzano Keighley were awarded a penalty. Quick thinking scrum half Lucas Uren took a quick tap and found winger Adam Horsfall in support, and a try in the corner.

Castleford responded, fighting their way back into Keighley territory they came near to scoring through some elusive back play, good defence managed to keep them out. The only rewards for their efforts was a penalty converted by busy scrum half Ian Mattison.

Keighley struggling at the scrum battled away but dogged defence and poor execution let them down. Just before the half time whistle the deadlock was broken, ex Castleford player Danny Price broke the defensive line before passing to winger Horsfall, who made ground before delivering a try scoring pass to flanker Scott Dyson.

The second half was a similar disjointed affair; although Keighley attacked well with some fine runs from full back McGee and winger Sam Walker, the ball was invariably slowed down at the breakdown or lost. In the end Marco Ferrazzano calmed Keighley nerves with a trade mark direct run through defenders to score under the posts, converted by Alex Brown.

Keighley dominated play through the mobility of their forwards; however, they were unable to finish Castleford off. A number of promising moves came to nothing through a general lack of cohesion. Adam Horsfall guilty of an earlier missed chance made amends, attacking out of defence he kicked through, Alex Brown following up gathered the ball and crashed over the line to give Keighley a fourth try and a valuable bonus point, he added the conversion to increase the Keighley score.

Castleford to their credit never gave up, they responded well with some fine interplay between forwards and backs; eventually through sheer hard graft they took play to the Keighley twenty two metre area. Unfortunately for them a long try scoring pass was intercepted by Keighley winger Sam Walker who raced seventy yards to score under the posts and finish the game.

This Saturday, for Keighley the ultimate challenge and the measure of their progress, the league leaders Bridlington at home. Kick off is 2.15pm