Keighley 20, Northern 23

Keighley started badly in yesterday's SSE North One East clash.

In the first five, minutes a sweeping Northern move saw burly winger Hugh Mongan brush off three would-be tacklers to score, outside half Donal Collins converting and adding a penalty a few minutes later.

Keighley, stung into action, used their big men Leigh Sugden and Bob Clarke to drive play up the middle, Sugden eventually crossing after fine approach work from centre Scott Dyson, converted by Ben Blackwell.

A little later, Blackwell added a penalty to level the scores. On the stroke of half-time, Northern’s Collins kicked a penalty.

In the second half, Keighley's forwards, working well in the scrum and loose, put the opposition under extreme pressure, which eventually let to a second try for Sugden, converted by Blackwell, Northern responding with a penalty from Collins.

In an enthralling final phase of the match, Blackwell extended Keighley’s lead with a penalty.

Against the run of play, Northern clinched victory with a try in the corner for centre John Duffy, well converted by Collins.