Cougars 20 Chorley 23 - COUGARS were left hanging on to their top of the table spot by the skin of their teeth after crashing to a third consecutive defeat.

They have squandered a healthy lead and are now just one point ahead of Hunslet with Sheffield, Chorley and Barrow a further point behind.

After looking set for the title the championship now hangs in the balance and Moorby's side desperately needs to rediscover their early season form.

They also need to learn how to kill off teams when they have them at their mercy.

Cougars had chances to end any hopes of a Lynx revival, but missed at least three glorious scoring chances with wild passes and poor handling.

Both teams committed errors in the early stages, but once Cougars had settled into their rhythm they looked confident.

After 10 minutes James Rushforth collected a Lynx kick through deep in his own 20m area, broke through the defensive line and slipped a superb inside pass to Matt Foster who outpaced the Chorley cover to score in the corner.

Adam Mitchell tagged on the touchline conversion and it looked as if the nightmare of defeats at Sheffield and York was about to be consigned to history.

Chorley full back Mark McCulley kicked a penalty to put his side on the scoreboard, but that did little to ruffle to feathers of a cougar side in their stride.

Ramshaw was controlling play and slipped a superb kick through for Mitchell to touch down under the posts, leaving himself a simple conversion.

Moments later Rushforth broke clear again but a certain try went begging when his final try missed its man.

At the other end Jamie Stenhouse pulled chorley back into the game when he danced through the defence to score between the posts and McCulley added the conversion.

Matty Firth sealed the first half with a drop goal to ensure they went in with a 13-8 lead.

Moorby's half time message called for more of the same, with improved control.

Within five minutes of the re-start Cougars were back in command. Mitchell's high kick caused confusion in the chorley defence and Firth looked almost embarrassed to pick up the bobbling ball and stroll over. Mitchell's third kick took the score to 17-8 and another try would almost certainly have sealed victory for Keighley.

Inspirational stand-off Mick Coates kick-started the Lancashire club's revival with a 30m drop goal.

Firth replied with a drop of his own to take the score to 20-9 before Eric Andrew scored the first of his two vital tries with a blistering run down the left wing. He cut inside and ghosted past Rushforth to score under the posts.

Minutes later Chris Wainwright crossed for Cougars, but his try was disallowed for a forward pass.

With the score delicately poised at 20-15 Firth set up for another drop goal, but was closed down.

As time ticked away Andrews again blasted down the win, the referee ignored a suspiciously forward pass and the winger went in between the posts. The conversion gave Chorley a one-point lead.

In the final minute the Lynx were given a penalty for ripping out and McCulley converted the 40m penalty to make certain of victory.