MOORTOWN 15 - KEIGHLEY 13

Keighley were unlucky to see victory snatched from them with a penalty goal 3 minutes from time, after holding the lead for most of the game.

They harried And harassed the powerful home side throughout this close and hard fought encounter before Moortown’s stronger pack finally paved the way to victory.

A crunching tackle by centre Adam Horsfall led to Keighley taking an early lead with a well struck penalty goal by Alex Brown. The full back marked his return after a 12 month absence through injury with an all round competent display which belied his lack of match practice.

Moortown struck back after 15 minutes play when their impressive No. 8 Simon Sterenborg’s strength and pace brought him a well taken try, but Keighley were soon ahead again, when Brown landed his second penalty kick.

Well led by skipper Will Armitage, the visitors pack harassed and harried the increasingly threatening home forwards whilst backs Rob Wilkinson, Danny McGee and the outstanding Adam Horsfall contained the potential of Moortown’s midfield backs for whom Fijians, stand off Dion Fraser and centre Matt Johnson posed many a problem.

Before half time,however, it was Keighley who next scored. From a line out 20 metres out prop Craig Spencer burst away to feed young flanker Elliot Barker who crossed in the corner, leaving Brown to tag on a superb conversion.

Realising that their backs could make little progress against Keighley’s solid defence, Moortown increasingly relied on their uncompromising pack to make progress. Using the slope to their advantage they forced play for long periods into the Keighley 22 metre area. A series of scrums was repelled but the pressure was almost relentless.
Eventually the ball was released allowing the home backs to create an overlap for winger Jack Barnett to touch down.

A tense finale was set up. The pattern of play remained the same with the Moortown forwards repeatedly driving for the line. Almost inevitably the heroic efforts of the Keighley pack led to them finally conceding a penalty which Fraser, an under 20’s international in his home country, struck firmly and straight to win the game.