Keighley Cougars close in on play-off spot (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Keighley Cougars close in on play-off spot

10:36pm Sunday 5th August 2012 in Cougars By Ben Turner

Keighley Cougars 34 Dewsbury Rams 6 Keighley virtually cemented their place in the play-offs with a convincing win over Dewsbury in the Co-operative Championship today.

Jason Demetriou’s men gave warning to the teams above them that they could be a threat in the end-of-season extras in this sixth-versus-seventh clash.

They showed some real dogged defence and attacking enterprise, including a brace of scores for Danny Lawton, when the game opened up.

Victory put Cougars on 29 points – eight points clear of Dewsbury, who are highly unlikely to catch them with three games left.

“We’re very pleased to cement our place in the play-offs,” said Demetriou.

“They may be still in it mathematically but we’re not going to lose all four games and now we can look at the teams above us and try and get in the top four and maybe even the top three.

“Overall, it was a great team effort, especially defensively where we really look to have got back to where we were at the start of the season, grinding teams down.”

The Rams broke the deadlock against the run of play when James Craven burst through Craig Moss’s tackle and raced in.

But Cougars were back in it when Sam Obst and Danny Jones combined and played in Moss.

The home side took the lead as Brendon Rawlins went through a gaping hole in the visitors’ defensive line. Jones and Obst’s partnership continued to flourish and this time it was Richie Barnett who was the beneficiary, with the former Warrington wing sent in for a four-pointer that meant Keighley led 14-6 going into the sheds.

Cougars carried through their momentum into the second half when Moss sent Lawton over in the corner on the back of Obst forcing a goal line drop out on the previous set.

The next Keighley score was daylight robbery as Demetriou stole the ball from Jamaine Akaidere’s grasp for the cheekiest of touchdowns.

Danny Lawton booted over a penalty to make sure the Rams needed four scores.

Realistically, that was never going to happen and Lawton once again went over for a try out wide to put the visitors out of the game.