Keighley 14 Selby 20

Keighley 14 Selby 20

A tense, tough game that Keighley could have won. Selby started well, intent on using their bigger forwards to occupy defenders before moving it wide. Keighley’s line out with James Fox and Adam Kemp doing well gave them a regular supply of possession. However, the service from the forwards was far too slow and often possession was lost in contact, giving Selby further opportunity to test the defence, a number of last ditch tackles kept them at bay. Eventually Keighley settled into a rhythm, the forwards put some phases together which gave centres Adam Horsfall and Sean Kelly chance to force a gap that full back Jake Duxbury exploited to the full, racing away to score, Alex Brown added the difficult conversion. The game settled into a mid field stalemate, both sets of back rows were competing hard for the ball in the contact area which slowed down possession and made it easy for defensive systems. Selby eventually gained good possession and moved it wide, winger Mathew Leethem was given too much space on the outside, leading to a run in to score, converted by full back George Stoker. A little later with pressure building Keighley scrum half Lucas Uren took a quick tap penalty, back row Josh Hannah was in support to score under the posts, converted by Brown.

In the second half Selby raised their game, making even greater use of their forward power, which kept Keighley pinned in their own half for extended periods. When they did gain possession they were too intent on driving the ball out of their territory. Although they made ground, once again some of the forwards gave away possession too easily. This aspect combined with a spell of ineffective kicking played to Selby strengths. From a line out near the Keighley twenty two, a series of mauls and rucks cleared a path for substitute forward Sam Broughton to power his way over wide out. A few minutes later full back Stoker kicked a penalty to put Selby in the lead. Keighley responded with some late flurries which almost snatched a score, but chasing the game meant that over eagerness and lack of composure let them down. Selby finished the game with a muscular flourish, driving a line out Selby forwards occupied the Keighley pack giving scrum half Danny Wilkinson the chance to sneak over to score. Keighley were in the lead for the majority of the game and should have closed it out. Instead their lack of composure led to a number of poor option choices and a breakdown in basic skills.

Sam Griffin