Keighley 8

North Ribblesdale 20

The bald statistics of Keighley's Yorkshire Division One season don't make for happy reading.

They have won just one of their ten games and have scored only 123 points with 280 against. Not surprisingly with statistics like that they occupy bottom place.

But if the table was measured by time spent in the opponents' 22, Keighley would surely be several places higher.

"Turning territorial possession into points is a big problem," admitted coach Martin Whitcombe after they had lost a muddy home derby to North Ribblesdale.

"We must have spent 20 to 30 minutes in their 22, but we didn't turn it into points, and it is something we are talking about.

"The hope was that with Johnny Harrison back we would have someone who could kick the goals and be the play-maker when we are attacking."

But no coach could legislate for what happened to Keighley's fly half.

He pulled a groin muscle in attempting a 33rd-minute penalty, slipping as his foot made impact with the ball, and he had to leave the field two minutes later, playing no further part in the match.

Whitcombe added: "What was most disappointing for me is that we conceded two tries from tap penalties.

"We should have had our defence organised to stop those, but too many of the lads turned their backs for the first try expecting a kick at goal. It was a schoolboy error really.

"Also we didn't capitalise when the opposition had a man in the sin-bin, but when we have a man in the bin we do concede points.

"However, the enthusiasm of the lads keeps me going. We had 35 at training last Thursday and were able to play first team v second team, and even after Saturday in the changing room the lads were asking who could make it down to training on Tuesday.

"We've got a young side, but they are learning and getting better all the time."

Former Otley RU and Keighley Cougars RL winger Johnny Walker was a key figure in a game that might not even have started such was the ferocity of a short downpour 15 minutes before kick-off.

The 31-year-old missed a penalty in the first minute after Keighley were caught offside, but helped to catch the home side out seven minutes later from a penalty.

Keighley's players were heading behind their line expecting a kick at goal, but Walker tapped the ball and had the strength to force his way over, breaking through several tackles.

He added the conversion for 7-0, although Harrison got the home side on the scoreboard with a penalty in the 15th minute, having missed an earlier effort.

North Ribblesdale's player-coach Meli Matafeo was then sin-binned for stamping, but the only score of that ten-minute period was another Walker penalty.

Harrison-less Keighley changed their shirts at half-time to all-green from their green with white and red horizontal stripes. But they only threatened to make a game of it after Walker had added his second penalty early in the half.

Getting a head of steam up, lock Peter Southgate crashed over for a try just after the hour mark, but they could also have done with an earlier Matt Gaffney penalty to add to their tally.

As it was the 13-8 margin did not last for long, Matafeo going over in the right-hand corner and reluctant goal-kicker Walker converting superbly from near the touchline.