Middlesbrough 13 Keighley 20

The visitors started brightly with some excellent play from both forwards and backs. Indiscretions from the Middlesbrough defenders gave Keighley’s Alex Brown two easy penalties. Middlesbrough responded with a rare attack and a long distance penalty for outside half Simon O’ Farrell.

Keighley responded, excellent approach work from Adam Sutcliffe and Ben Blackwell gave full back Harry Titley the chance to join the line, drawing a defender he found open side wing forward Scott Dyson supporting at pace, and a try under the posts which Alex Brown converted.

From that point onwards Keighley saw very little of the ball, Middlesbrough with their big forwards in fine fettle kept them pinned in their own twenty two metre area, only heroic defending kept them out. The sheer physicality of the forward play soon took its toll when Captain Leigh Sugden was forced to leave the field with a serious shoulder injury.

With in minutes of the second half restart, some superb back play from the McGee brothers and full back Titley gave winger Adam Sutcliffe the chance to use his pace to run twenty metres to score under the posts, converted by Brown. Once again Keighley were put under sustained pressure and were unable to get out of their half. Unfortunately they lost their play maker Danny McGee with a broken arm.

From that point onwards Keighley appeared rudderless; what possession they got was kicked aimlessly away, only for Middlebrough to renew their onslaught. Good possession from a series of rucks gave full back Jack Bircham the opportunity to score in the corner. For the remainder of the game Keighley did nothing but defend, and what a defence it was, countless attacks through the forwards were repelled.

When Middlesbrough tried to vary their strategy by moving the ball infield all the backline especially Marco Ferrazzano held firm. With time running out Middlebrough’s substitute Richard Barker gave them some reward for their efforts with a well taken try wide out.

Although Middlesbrough battled to the final whistle they had to be content with a deserved losing bonus point.