Brendan Rawlins, left, scored four tries for Cougars

Keighley Cougars 58, London Skolars 12

Barnstorming prop Brendan Rawlins roared in for four tries as high-flying Cougars impressed against London Skolars.

Barry Eaton's side suffered their first loss of the season against National League Two leaders Doncaster the previous weekend but stylishly hit back in today's Bank Holiday jamboree.

Aussie Rawlins led the way, scoring with his first touch after coming on in the 16th minute. That made it 12-0 and by the time the rampaging front-rower earned a rest on 50 minutes, he had sensationally added another three, leaving Keighley 48-2 up.

London had bagged only their first success of the season against Hunslet last week but any confidence was soon bashed out of them by the ruthless, well-drilled hosts.

Red-hot Cougars hit double figures with ten touchdowns, the best being their first, a dashing effort from lightning winger Ryan Jones.

Second-rower Neil Lowe started the move from deep by squeezing a fine pass out of the tackle to Dan Potter, the centre sending Smith away from halfway.

The youngster had plenty of work still to do but his classic in-and-out move left Skolars full back Farid Goutta stranded and he raced in to the corner.

Keighley were forced into a major re-shuffle when winger Gavin Duffy went off with an ankle injury but it didn't unsettle them.

George Rayner switched out wide, stand-off Danny Jones - who finished with nine goals - moving to full back and Jon Presley taking over at No 6.

While Duffy was hobbling off, his team-mates extended their lead when Skolars' Austen Aggrey failed to deal with a bomb under pressure from Potter, the ball shooting off his shoulder into the hands of Rawlins.

Paul Thorman responded with a penalty for the visitors after Potter was harshly pulled up for a high tackle but Keighley were doing all the damage.

Rawlins was outstanding, brushing defenders off at will and making plenty of off-loads, and it was no surprise when the ex-Wests Tiger got his second after picking up from dummy half and slicing over following Craig Fawcett's quick play-the-ball.

A slick handling move out to the left saw Richard Knight stretch over for their fourth try and he laid on Presley for a fifth just before the hooter when a Skolars' grubber rebounded, Knight picking up to send his team-mate haring off on an 80-metre sprint to the line.

Jones' conversion made it 26-2 at the break and Eaton's side never let up in the second half.

Skolars prop Puna Rasaubale was sin-binned for a head-high tackle on Jermaine Wray on 43 minutes, Rawlins barging over for his hat-trick from the penalty.

He then showed a neat dummy to carve them up again before Knight bagged his double.

Fawcett created another for Lowe but London didn't capitulate, Wayne Kerr and Thorman both breaking Keighley's line to touch down either side of a Raynor try.

Potter was also yellow-carded for a professional foul after Wray desperately got back to halt Goutta but it didn't take the gloss of their fifth league win in six matches so far.

6:51pm Monday 5th May 2008

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