Cougars 12 Hull KR 20

Cougars crashed to their seventh league defeat and only had themselves to blame.

Poor handling and worse discipline let Rovers off the hook - and in Mike Dixon and Mike Fletcher they had the experience to take full advantage.

The Cougars started well enough and controlled long periods of the first half, yet turned round 12-8 down despite taking an eight point lead. Defensive lapses, errors and penalties allowed Rovers to destroy their early momentum.

Simon Irving landed a penalty and added a conversion to a typical piece of Jason Lee opportunism. Lee scooped up a loose ball, Rovers waited for the knock-on decision, and the Welsh winger went in unopposed.

Rovers hit back against the run of play, Mike Dixon chipped ahead and won the race to touch down. Fletcher added the conversion and the balance of the game had suddenly changed.

As the Cougars pinned Rovers on their line Chris Kitching found the defence open in front of him allowing a 90m burst to the line. Fletcher converted and with a 12-8 half time lead they never looked back.

The second half was played in rain, sleet and snow and neither side found their rhythm. The introduction of Davide Longo added spark and pace, but they struggled to break down Rovers' dogged defence.

Fletcher gave his side a six point cushion when he added a 66th minute penalty after the Cougars had refused an earlier chance for two points.

Longo and Jason Lawrence combined superbly, but Longo was hauled down with the line at his mercy. Simon Wray managed to squeeze over from the play-the-ball to make it 14-12, Irving failing with the kick.

Cougars tried desperately to get something from this game, Brock McDonald and Longo almost got clear, but Rovers held out and Fletcher went over in the dying seconds. Fletcher landed the touchline conversion right on the hooter.

Cougars had long periods of pressure and at times tackled superbly, but Rovers were more secure in possession and are going to be difficult to beat by any side in what looks an increasing mediocre first division.

Cougars: Foster; Wray, McDonald, Lawrence, Lee, Irving (Longo 35), Robinson (Simpson 62), Stephenson (Sapatu 65), Ramshaw, Julian (Campbell 46), Sapatu (Irving 56, Cochrane), Roberts, Larder.

Hull KR: Fletcher, Rouse, Kitching, Danby, Smith, Gene, Brown, Dannett (Harrison 12), Dixon, Thompson (Jackson 62), Kennedy (Hill 56), Fletcher, Charles.

Featherstone 44 Cougars 2

Any improvement seen against Hull KR evaporated in one of the worst Keighley performances for years - possibly the worst since they adopted Cougar name.

The first half was bad enough, the first ten minutes of the second was a complete and utter shambles that erupted in violence and ended with the Cougars briefly down to ten men.

David Longo went to the sin bin for dissent, and what followed was unthinkable. A minute later Chico Jackson took objection to something Rob Roberts did in the tackle, and all hell was let loose which resulted in Jackson and Mark Campbell wrongly being dismissed.

Three minutes later Roberts was again at the heart of another brawl. Rovers piled in after he elbowed Paddy Handley. Roberts then head-butted Shaun Irwin and pockets of quite vicious fighting broke out. Roberts had to go, and I'm afraid will be looking at least a lengthy ban. Both clubs could also be looking at healthy fines.

The first half showing by the Cougars was very very poor.

Carl Hall got Rovers off to a flyer when he made the most of a run by Craig Horne in the third minute. Richard Chapman added the first of his eight goals.

Shaun Irwin then raced 50 metres untouched and unopposed after a Cougars drop out Steve Collins collected a kick from Handley, and at half time it was 20-2. All the Cougars could manage was a Robert's penalty - his only positive contribution to the game.

The second half eventually settled down, and actually once they were down to 11 men the Cougars did at least try.

Jason Lee ran 80 metres only to be halted by a Hall ankle tap Brock McDonald looked to have put Longo in, only to be pulled back for a forward pass. Fred Sapatu nearly squeezed Lee in at the corner only for the winger to be pushed out.

After that it was all downhill. Collins ran in three further tries. Four final Featherstone tries came in the last 15 minutes and it looked very easy, from errors so basic, that Lee Crooks must be wondering what he's let himself in for.

Few players emerged with credit Jason Ramshaw led superbly and never stopped trying.

Jason Lee ran well, Phil Stephenson and Steve Campbell took the ball forward. Brock McDonald was one of the few totally solid in defence, in a match which everyone would like to forget.

Featherstone Rovers: Collins; Hall (Evans 57), Irwin (Pratt 67), Kimmell, Child, Handley, Home, Jackson, Chapman, Price (Fallins 57), Highton (Love 64), Baker (Highton 73), Slater (Baker 79).

Cougars: Foster, Wray (Simpson 52), McDonald, Lawrence (Wray 76), Lee, Longo, Robinson, Stephenson (Julian 60), Ramshaw, Julian (S Campbell 16), Sapatu (Cochrane 36), M Campbell (Sapatu 47, Kirk 67), Rob Roberts.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.