Playing with only 11 players and non-contested scrums, Keighley started very much the brighter of the 2 teams. Building patiently from the back and with good handling across the pitch, Zac Scott stole over to touch down tight in the left corner with Lennon Curr converting the kick.
SCORE - Bees 0 - Keighley 7 (2 Minutes)

From the restart Keighley latched onto the loose kicked ball and attacked down the right flank with slick interplay from Soel Counsell to Aaron Wilson whose speed left Bees backs trailing to touch down in the right corner. Curr hit the crossbar with his conversion attempt.
SCORE - Bees 0 - Keighley 12 (3½ Minutes)

Struggling with non-contested scrums and unable to utilise the considerable power of their pack Keighley however continued to dominate and their forward strength put pressure on Bees every time they had the ball in hand. With Keir Welch leading the tackle count with some excellent below the knee stops and Jack Rodbourne seizing any opportunity to make a steal, Keighley kept up the pressure and were denied a further try when James Field was slipped quick ball from Joss McArthur on the left only to be forced into touch on Bees line.

Almost on half time Keighley’s patience again proved fruitful as they built from a return positional kick from Bees and in the fine 6 phases of play that followed, every single player played a part culminating in Rodbourne’s powerful surge into the left corner to score. Curr duly stepped up to convert.
SCORE - Bees 0 - Keighley 19 (8 Minutes)

With both strategic and necessary changes made at half time, the second half played out relatively easily for Keighley who soaked up the pressure that Bees suddenly produced and they remained comfortable until the end without adding further to the score-sheet.

FINAL SCORE - Bees 0 - Keighley 19

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Game 2 - Keighley v Ilkley

Keighley started the 2nd game with very much the same endeavour as they had the 1st game. However with the rain falling and the ball becoming ever more slippery, handling errors became the name of the game.
Keighley using their forward power for the first time of the Tournament turned over the first scrum with scrum-half Counsell again giving Curr good presentation from the scrum enabling Curr to kick for territory.

Keighley won the resulting line-out and pressured the Ilkley back row and Joseph Myers’ endeavour paid dividends when he slipped the ball from Rodbourne’s hands straight to Welch who jinked over for the first try which Curr duly converted.
SCORE – Keighley 7 – Ilkley 0 (7 Minutes)

Both teams nullified each other for the remainder of the half and the scores remained.

Ilkley came back into the game in the second half with some enterprising rugby forcing Keighley into their final quarter but Keighley were up to the task, with solid defensive displays from Jaydon Emmott and debutant Jack McHugh and great endeavour going forward from Scott, Curr and Welch.

Within 3 minutes of the re-start, Keighley again building in good phases with Field, Richardson and Scott all making headway into the Ilkley half they worked their way right to the Ilkley try line and when Harvey Bird drove over into the ensuing ruck the released ball was snapped up by McArthur who breached the Ilkley defensive line to score. Curr again converted.
SCORE – Keighley 14 – Ilkley 0 (14 Minutes)

Keighley again soaked up the Ilkley pressure until the end of the game, running out worthy winners.
FINAL SCORE - Keighley 14 – Ilkley 0

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Game 3 – Keighley v Huddersfield

Having won both earlier games at a canter, Keighley for some reason lost their way in this game and against a much bigger more imposing pack they went behind within 30 seconds when Huddersfield’s big centre fed the outside ½ who jinked between 2 Keighley backs to score untroubled in the centre.
SCORE – Keighley 0 Huddersfield 7 (1 Minute)

This galvanised Keighley into action but also served to create a level of panic and urgency in their play with ball played to quick and the phase building of the first 2 games strangely absent. Despite the setback Keighley pressurised the Huddersfield line but were unable to conjure up a score.

Keighley kept up the pressure in the second half and were thwarted only by resolute Huddersfield defence but handling errors and occasional lack of judgement when attacking was their downfall.
FINAL SCORE – Keighley 0 – Huddersfield 7

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Game 4 - Keighley v Aireborough

Keighley started the final game with a point to prove as Aireborough were only 1 of 2 teams to beat them last season.

On the attack from the start, Keighley had a try disallowed within the first minute for an infringement and when Aireborough attacked from the re-start, Keighley appeared to be more determined with Bird, Counsell, Wilson and Field all making big timely tackles.

However on 4 minutes a loose ball was seized by the Aireborough fly-half who left Keighley’s static defence trailing to score in the left corner. The conversion duly scored.
SCORE – Keighley 0 – Aireborough 7 (6 Minutes)

The game ebbed and flowed for the remainder of the half with both teams cancelling out some good chances created by the opposition.

With changes again made at half time, Keighley had the better start to the second half and their attacking enterprise and bigger determination showed. Despite this, the performance was littered with handling errors, dropped ball, knock-on’s and forward passes which only highlighted their frustration and somewhat tentative approach.

With 2 minutes remaining and with Keighley peppering the Aireborough line the strength of Harry Gould going forward saw the flanker best placed to receive a solid pass from a lineout 2 metres from the Aireborough line to happily touch-down with Curr again converting to level the scores.
FINAL SCORE – Keighley 7 – Aireborough 7

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Coaches Comments

Rugby, as in life has a natural habit of bringing you back down to earth if you lose concentration. After the high of a great win last Sunday, we were reminded of the virtues of focus and commitment and brought back down to earth with a bump.
We peaked too early in the day, playing well in the first two games and then showing an abject performance in the last two when we came across better, stronger opposition than in the earlier games.
Although coming away from a tournament having won two games, drawing one and only losing one could be taken as a successful day, we didn't feel like that when we finished. Our boys have set themselves some very high standards and came away from the tournament knowing that they have not done themselves justice.
We will however take the positives from this weekend and build on them and we trust that the boys will refocus at the midweek training session and be ready for our next opponents, Ilkley next Sunday where we fully intend to regain momentum.

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Keighley Trophy Winners

Forwards – Jack Rodbourne

Backs – Zac Scott

Parents Player – Keir Welch
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Match details

Match date

Sun 09 Oct 2011

Kickoff

10:00

Team overview