CHAIRMAN Gary Fawcett says Cougars must cut out errors and improve discipline if they are to achieve promotion.

Paul March’s side have fallen to sixth in the League One table after a thumping 84-6 defeat at leaders Toulouse was followed by a close-fought 34-32 loss at home to Barrow last weekend.

Cougars’ place in the Super Eights is secure, but Fawcett accepts a significant improvement is needed if they are to make the leap back into the Championship.

This Sunday’s trip to Rochdale has taken on added importance and Fawcett said: “After the shock of such a big loss in Toulouse, I was looking for the team to bounce back against Barrow.

“Prior to the game, we had a meeting with the players where I stated that we are a Championship team that has spent too long in League One.

“When you look at our squad and the talented personnel within it, there is no mistaking that it's a team that could deliver promotion – if it performs to the level it is capable of.

“Clearly, Toulouse was a very bad day at the office and we are far better than that.

“However, Toulouse aside, the thing that has been causing us problems all season is the level of discipline on the field and self-imposed mistakes.

“Whether this is the tension the boys are under due to the pressure for promotion, or whether it is something else, I don't know.

“What I do know is that we are far better than the handling errors we are currently making in games.

“We are also far better than the cheap penalties we constantly give away and allow the opposing team to piggy back up the field into threatening positions which we then have to defend.

“Despite the talent we have at our disposal we seem to regularly concede field position and possession cheaply.

“This clearly needs to change because the challenge has now become much harder.”

Fawcett felt the Barrow loss followed an all-too-familiar pattern as Cougars fell to a late penalty goal.

The Keighley supremo has urged the team to cut out the errors and believes that, if they do, then Cougars will be hard to stop.

Fawcett added: “The agonising last-minute defeat on Sunday against Barrow has placed us sixth, albeit with a game in hand on Barrow.

“Again, the nature of the defeat was the same pattern.

“Generally we were in good positions but handed over the ball to the opposition through needless errors early in our attacking sets.

“If we can stop this then all teams in this league will have a major challenge beating us.

“I told the boys that they are better than what we've achieved so far and they agreed.

“We are a Championship team in waiting - we need to prove it to ourselves and our long suffering fans.”

March hopes to welcome back a host of key players over the next fortnight as Keighley's injury list begins to shorten.

Both Ritchie and Darren Hawkyard could return to the 17 for the trip to third-placed Rochdale as they recover from groin and calf injuries respectively.

Ash Lindsay, who was hospitalised following the defeat to Toulouse with concussion, needs to pass a mandatory head test in order to feature against the Hornets.

Sonny Esslemont, who missed the Barrow defeat through illness, and Jode Sheriffe, who has missed the last month following an operation to remove screws from his ankle, are poised to return but Scott Law is a doubt with a back injury.

Brother Rikki Sheriffe is still struggling with a shoulder injury sustained in France, while the Rochdale game also comes too soon for top try-scorer Hamish Barnes.

However, the Jamaican international is set to come back into the side for the visit of the York City Knights a week on Sunday.

Hooker Sean Kelly, who has been out of action since tearing his ACL in May of last year, is unlikely to play in 2016 with his focus now switched to a return next year.