Yorkshire Cup Quarter Final Keighley U14 vs Weherby U14

Keighley seemed to have left their spark in the changing room as they kicked off and the ball was gathered by Wetherby, passed along the line and over the try line for an easy score before the home team had a chance to react.
The long range conversion attempt failed

0 - 5

Scrappy play from the restart lead to a Keighley scrum but the dominant Wetherby pack managed to take the ball against the head and moved the ball well down the line.
Constant pressure from Wetherby and desperate defence from Keighley eventually created an overlap and Wetherby crossed again out wide.
The conversion attempt again fell just short.

0 - 10

A long restart by Keighley gave a confident Wetherby the chance to run out of their 22.
A thumping cover tackle from Ethan Lawrie gave Jack 'Goose' McHugh the chance to steal the ball.
Goose was then tackled and relieved of possesion.
Wetherby again moved the ball well dragging the Keighley forwards one way and then the other until the overlap appeared and they crossed the whitewash again.
The conversion attempt again fell short.

0 - 15

From the restart Keighley started to apply some pressure, Keir Welch charging down a clearance kick and Ethan Lawrie taking a quick penalty and feeding Jack Rodbourne who battered through the Wetherby players with a characteristic powerful drive.

Halftime

Keighley continued their determined efforts from the restart, the forwards combining and bulldozing their way to the Wetherby 22.
Slick Handling between Rodbourne, Lawrie and Hobson-Sheriff and Keighley were forced to touch 5m out.
Keighley pressure pinned Wetherby back and a handling error gave Keighley a scrum.
Leon Hobson-Sheriff recieved the ball dummied the pass and split the defence with his blistering pace to score.
Ethan Lawrie added the extra points.

7 - 15

Possession swung between sides both trying to break the midfield deadlock until Ethan Lawrie intercepted the ball on the halfway line and outpaced the defence to score a fine opportunist try.
The conversion attempt was just short.

12 - 15

Keighley, desperate to make something happen from the restart and knocked on.
Errors crept into the Keighley play and a wayward pass was hacked on by a Weatherby player who then won the chase for the ball, touching down under the posts for 5 points.
The conversion was a formality.

12 - 22

Full time

Coaches Comment: Graham Field:

We thought that we had it right this week and, after a great but bruising win against an arguably better Dinnington side last week, confidence was high. However today we lacked sparkle and to a certain extent endeavour, particularly with our forwards who for the first time in many matches were out-rucked.

Conceding a try in the first 20 seconds didn't help and from that point on it was always going to be a tough battle against a well prepared Wetherby Squad so there’s still lots to work on in the coming weeks where we have a number of home games.

We wish Wetherby well in their semi-final against either Dinnington, Hull Ionians or Otley. -

Captains Comment: James Field:

'A very disappointing result. I feel we could have done better on another day and if we played how we did last week, then I think we could have got the result we deserved.'

'Still much to work on and hopefully we can improve in games to come.'

Report by Vicki Spragg