Keighley Cougars tame the Lions

Keighley kept the Championship One title race alive with a gritty win in front of the TV cameras at leaders Swinton tonight.

The hosts had needed a win to clinch the crown but came up short against a physical and determined Cougars side.

Jason Demetriou’s men defended with discipline and outscored their opponents by four tries to three to close the gap at the top of the table to six points.

The Cougars made a slow start and were caught out within ten minutes when Mark Smith’s superb ball out of dummy half sent Phil Joseph through weak defence, Mort converting.

Swinton piled on the pressure and looked certain to score again after Smith nailed a long 40-20 kick.

But they couldn’t make possession or territory count and Keighley hit back.

Ryan Smith combined with Demetriou to give Craig Moss space but he stumbled after gathering the pass.

It mattered little though, James Feather barging over from dummy half soon after, his try verified by the video referee.

Disappointment followed joy when the Cougars allowed Mort’s restart to bounce into touch but they successfully defended the drop-out.

Jamaine Wray’s introduction was key, the livewire hooker typically energetic and elusive. His delivery from dummy half allowed Demetriou to use the dummy runner and find Dave Halley, whose superb cut-out ball sent in Moss.

Keighley had the chances to add to their lead before half-time but a cheap knock-on from Gavin Duffy allowed Swinton to edge back in front.

Karl Ashall put in a superb crossfield kick and Alex Hurst out-jumped Duffy to collect and touch down, Mort converting.

But the urgency displayed by Keighley in the second quarter was still evident after the interval and Demetriou was narrowly denied a try when he dropped the ball while attempting to ground it.

A try was inevitable though and Olly Pursglove provided it. Collecting a neat short pass from Demetriou, he blasted through a gap and produced a strong fend on Lee Wingfield to score.

Chris Baines kicked the goal to put his side in front.

Both Demetriou and Halley threatened before the Cou-gars scored again, Feather’s tremendous blindside ball from dummy half sending Moss in at the corner.

Swinton had a try disallowed by the video referee for obstruction but levelled when Andy Gorski touched down Martin Ainscough’s grubber, Mort converting But the error-prone Gavin Dodd cost his team dear, first choosing a poor option on the last tackle and then penal-ised for a wild, high shot.

Baines stepped up to kick the two and seal victory.

Cougars: Halley; Moss, Sagar, Normington, Duffy; Demetriou, Smith; Shickell, Feather, Law, Pursglove, Cartledge, Nicholson. Interchange: Wray, Rawlins, Jones, Baines.