Yorkshire Division Two: Keighley 33 Old Grovians 0

THIS was Keighley's fourth clean sheet of the season in just nine league matches, matching the total they achieved last season in 26.

It wasn't that the visitors didn't have chances either as the home side were heavily on the wrong end of the penalty count, particularly in the first half.

It was more a case of dogged determination against opponents who, although they had their periods of supremacy, sometimes spilled ball by kidding themselves that it was a sunny day in early August, rather than a cold and damp one in November.

"Our scrum and set-piece was not brilliant but I will settle for a win and a bonus point," said Keighley's head coach Danny McGee.

"It was one of those days where it was a 50-50 decision as to whether to offload the ball or hang on to it but our main concern at half-time was penalties, penalties, penalties."

Former Keighley joint head coach Dave Lister, who is now in joint charge of Grovians, said: "I was proud of the way the lads stuck at it.

"They showed a lot of heart and determination on a day when conditions dictated how we played, and I was really happy with the first half.

"It didn't look like a team near the top playing a team at the bottom of the table."

That Keighley deserved their win, there is no doubt – their offloading game in conditions that didn't suit it was particularly impressive – but it is also true that Grovians deserved to get some points on the board.

However, full back Allan set the tone for Keighley in their first attack, running impressively down the wing before finding left winger Luke Carter.

And they scored on their third attack, the visitors' defence being drawn in, leaving right winger Jack Atkinson in oceans of space to receive a long pass and go over.

Scrum half Rob Wilkinson's half-break gave the home side the impetus for their second try in the 18th minute, prop Sam Booker finishing it off centrally enough for fly half Alex Brown to convert, and they got a killer third try in the 36th minute, sublime handling putting centre Ben Blackwell over, Brown adding the extras.

In a half when Old Grovians lost right winger Jack Hartley (rib injury) and flanker Pat Burns (broken wrist), they also came close to scoring when Keighley spilled a ball in midfield and when left winger Dion Hendricks was superbly denied in the corner by Ebbrell.

Trailing 19-0, the visitors needed something to happen for them early in the second half, and when Anthony Griffin ghosted through, it looked as if he might be the catalyst but his kick ahead was sliced into touch by fellow centre Alex Masterson.

Keighley, still defying the weather with their skilful handling, almost bagged their bonus-point try when Brown knocked the ball forward in reaching for the line but they didn't have to wait long for the powerful Blackwell to plant the ball down in the 52nd minute.

Brown converted for 26-0, and also improved the try scored late on by No 8 Hamish Pratt, who benefited by being on Brown's shoulder after the fly half had made an incisive break.

Keighley remain six points behind West Leeds with a game in hand, while, although Grovians lost full back Tom Gough with an ankle injury in the second half, they have several important players set to return soon.

Also there are two other clubs – Castleford and Knottingley – on 12 points, while Sheffield Medicals and Leodiensian are only on 15.