Keighley Rugby Union's Under-11s are flying the Union flag -- and are a credit to the town.

The team has been strengthened in a number of key areas and are becoming a very difficult team to beat. In the first nine games they have run in 32 tries and conceded 10.

As they warmed up to defend their Baildon Tournament title the pre-match talk went along the lines of 'any team can win the tournament once, the good teams retain the cup.'

The Keighley team were up against Baildon, Wharfedale and Skipton. Having already comprehensively beaten Baildon 42-0 earlier in the season, Keighley started the game in confident mood.

The front five dominated set pieces, with Milner and Morton outstanding, providing Pinder with great ball for the backs. Once the ball was in the hands of the new requisition, Beaumont at outside centre the outcome was inevitable. He had soon run in his hat-trick. The team's other acquisition, an Irish import, Gennery, a mean looking prop, celebrated his 11th birthday with three powerfully taken tries. With Uren's trusty boot taking the conversions the final score was 42-0.

The next opposition was Wharfedale, a team Keighley have failed to beat on their previous six encounters. Beating Wharfedale was more important than the tournament itself and wow did it show.

A jaw dropping performance followed, rucking that looked more like a mountaineering trip and tackling that was hard enough to knock them into next week. Wilkinson's mature performance with perfectly timed passes and Tig's energy helped to secure the 19-7 win.

The last game was against a weakened Skipton team and allowed newcomers, Murphy, Patington and Blake to get some valuable match experience and they didn't let the team down. Keighley won 19-0 and with it a return of the silver ware to Keighley's trophy cabinet.

A just reward for the team's effort is to play the half time match at the Leeds Tykes match this evening (Friday) .