Oldham 31 - Cougars 20: MATT FOSTER turned in a heroic hat-trick performance for the Cougars but saw his team crsh to defeat - and relegation - at Oldham.

It was a performance which summed up Keighley's season. It was full of promise but ultimately failed to deliver the victory which would have given the club a relegation lifeline.

Coach Gary Moorby was determined his side would go down fighting, and the Roughyeds were made to battle all the way for their victory.

There was certainly no sign of the difference in league positions between the two teams which sees Oldham fighting it out for a place in Super League while the Cougars have picked up only one win throughout the league campaign. Finally they were handed victory thanks to a final blunder which condemned the Keighley side to a swift return to NL2.

Foster's hat-trick try had given Keighley a chance of victory as they clawed their way back to within five points of the home team, at 25-20, with 10 minutes to go. They knew one converted try would secure the win and they were in the ascendancy.

But from the re-start Cougars knocked on and the following move shattered their hopes. Stand-off Neil Roden burst away from the scrum and scored the try that secured victory for Oldham and pushed Cougars over the relegation precipice

For those watching it was pure agony. Throughout the season they have seen their team push the top clubs all the way, and all also witnessed them give less than their best against teams that should have provided the points to keep them in National League One.

Certainly if this level of passion and commitment had been on show in every game they would not have been taking the quick trip down a division.

They got off to a terrible start when an early error allowed Nick Johnson to stroll over for the home club after only two minutes. The score served only to kick life into the Cougar side, they were driving forward like demons and keeping the ball alive in tackle after tackle as they hammered the home defence.

Foster and Andy Robinson were working like clockwork on the left wing. Foster scored two of the early tries and his second was the try of the game. He was on hand to follow up Matt Bramald's midfield break and squeezed in at the corner.

They cancelled out Oldham's early lead to secure an 8-4 advantage and after the home side had added a converted try Robinson went in, also down the left channel, to make it 12-10 to the Keighley side. All three tries were close to the touchline leaving Adam Mitchell with difficult conversion attempts and he was off target all afternoon -- it was to be the difference between the two sides.

Although Oldham missed their first conversion attempt Ian Watson took over from Jon Roper, who suffered a groin injury and kicked his side to victory with five successful place kicks and a drop goal.

A try from Mitchell made it 16-16 at half time and both teams knew they had a vital 40 minutes ahead.

For Keighley victory may have held off relegation, for Oldham a win would propel them into a strong play-off place.

It was desperation stuff from both teams but the home side edged into the lead with a second try from fullback Jon Goddard, who scored either side of the break, a penalty and the drop goal as things looked tight.

Cougar captain Foster made it over in the corner for a third time, but a final knock-on which led directly to Oldham's winning try ended all hopes of clinging on to life in the higher division.