Ripon 13

Keighley 16

Keighley were made to fight all the way to maintain their position at the top of the league in an untidy and often ill disciplined game at Ripon. There have been some close encounters between the two sides in recent years at the Ripon ground, and Saturday's game proved to be no exception.

As so often this season, Keighley got away to a slow start, and they fell behind after only 5 minutes play when home wingman Jason Bell exploited a glaring gap in the Keihgley defence to touch down under the posts with stand off Dai Talyn adding the conversion.

Thereafter for much of the first half Keighley dominated play but were generally unable to turn chances into points. They were, however, soon on equal terms. Full back Carl Smith's powerful run from defence led to a line out on the home 22 metre line and quick thinking by Johnny Harrison allowed centre John Hinchcliffe to jink past the home full back for a well taken try, converted by Harrison.

Unforced handling errors spoiled several promising attacks as the Keighley backs failed to capitalise on the hard work of the forwards, who were at this stage in the game dominating the set pieces, and it was left to Harrison to move the score along with two penalty goals to match two by his opposite number Talyn.

With the scores tied at 13 points each, Keighley began the second half without the services of prop Paul Sinfield who had rather harshly been sent to the sin bin when he retaliated after an off the ball assault on Johnny Harrison. The depleted pack was suddenly put under pressure in the face of Ripon's uncompromising and sometimes intimidatory tactics as the home side benefited from some weak refereeing decisions. Both sides continued to spill passes, however, and with defences on top there were few try scoring chances for either side.

At third penalty goal by Harrison edged Keighley ahead again mid way through the half and with Sinfield's return to action there was a more solid look about their set piece play. Talyn's accurate tactical kicking, however, regularly forced Keighley back into their own half where they did well to contain the increasingly robust home forwards in the loose play.

With only a few minutes remaining Talyn missed the chance to equalise the scores, when his penalty goal attempt drifted across the posts. It was their last chance. A long clearance kick by Harrison carried play to the half way line and Keighley's forwards doggedly retained possession until the final whistle to earn two more valuable points.

Keighley 2nd XV 18

Ripon 2nd XV 7

A Newly appointed referee had an afternoon to forget as the game was halted by numerous penalties, and each side suffered two sin binnings.

Keighley looked to be getting on top in the earlfy stages when a Ripon centre burst through two tackles and carried two more would-be tacklers over the line for a converted try.

Two good piece of play put Keighley back inthe game. ian Woodwiss made a break down the wing from his own touchline. When ripon tried to take a quick throw-in Duncan Walsh wrestled the ball away to Jeff Inman who burst down the line and an astute kick took the ball to within yards of the Ripon try line.

Woodwiis was in the action again when he threw a long pass to Michael Moxley who scored in the corner.

Nick Wright crossed inthe corner for the second try to put Keighley ahead.

In the second period the teams swapped penalties in a frustrating period of play, but Keighley dominated the line-outs through Tim Midgley.

Keighley were camped in the opposition quarter late in the game allowing Richard Cavender to land a drop goal. Ben Woodwiss went over on the right, but could not convert his own try as they made certain of victory.