Keighley 6

Cleckheaton 43

It may sound silly considering there were 37 points between the teams at the finish, but Keighley can take a lot of heart from this display.

They worried the unbeaten Yorkshire Division One leaders for the opening 15 minutes, and their pack gave Cleckheaton something to think about for much of the match.

The difference, however, as it often is between top and near-bottom, was tigerish defence and clinical finishing.

Keighley had no tries to show for all their possession, whereas Cleckheaton had six.

"It was disappointing considering all our pressure," admitted Keighley's No 8 Chris Weatherill.

"We got into their half and made the chances, and then seemed to panic.

"But we are a young side, and if we can avoid relegation this season I am sure we will do better next season.

"I only returned from two years at Castleford last month, and my first match back was the home game against Pontefract.

"We won it 10-8, and I couldn't believe it in the dressing room afterwards that we were a side that had been losing so much.

"We also performed well in our match at second-in-the-table Wheatley Hills on January 6.

"We didn't expect to beat Cleckheaton, but we wanted to give a good performance and get more confidence. If we had kept them to 20-6 the lads would have been a lot happier."

Cleckheaton full back Alex Green said: "We only conceded two penalties, and that must have been disheartening for Keighley because they had us under a big spell of pressure early on and we broke away and scored a try.

"And after our cup victory over Wigton the previous weekend I am sure Keighley would have been using us as a benchmark for the rest of the season."

Keighley, who had winger Kevin Young and fly-half Matt Gaffney pull out with illness on Friday night and Saturday morning and then lost centre Peter Lee-Gallon (hamstring) during the warm-up, almost got a try in the left-hand corner in the opening minutes.

Then Gary Davey, who replaced Gaffney, pulled a penalty wide in the eighth minute.

Eight minutes later, Cleck-heaton, aiming for a baker's dozen of league victories, were ahead.

Scrum half Gary Smith sprinted on the blind-side, found No 8 Craig West in support and hooker Simon Wragg got the touchdown.

Green tagged on a penalty in the 25th minute, and three minutes later converted a try by left winger Craig Rika.

Keighley deserved something for their first half endeavours, and got it through two Davey penalties as the half drew to a close.

Urged on by their home fans, Keighley - aided by their fine pack - were making a game of it, but the points were sealed by Cleckheaton's third try in the 52nd minute.

Green, using left winger Rika as a decoy, broke from near his own line into Keighley's half. Skipper John Bentley was up in support and speedy right winger Mark Doherty completed a fine try.

Green's conversion gave the scoreboard a very lopsided look at 22-6, but things were to get worse for plucky Keighley.

Bentley, set up by a fine Smith tackle, strolled over from distance in the 62nd minute, and Wragg was shoved over by his pack five minutes later.

The points surge (28 in the last 28 minutes) was finished by prop Carl Mason, Green adding all the second half conversions.