Rugby Union: Forward power

Whilst all were scored by the backs, it was the forwards who paved the way to success with another powerful performance. Acting skipper Andy Bennett was again a tower of strength at No.8 and Joe McArthur can look back with pride on a job well done in his first senior start at prop. There were also telling contributions from Paul Sinfield and Leigh Sugden before he was dismissed early in the second half for stamping.

The backs made the best of limited opportunities, with Danny Horne prominent in attack and defence in his first game for several weeks and Richard Cavender, standing in for Johnny Harrison at fly half, efficiently doing all that was asked of him.

It was Cavender who grabbed the first try after six minutes play when he followed up smartly on to Horne's crosskick after a break by Matthew Cox, and also added the conversion.

Whenever given the change, Keighley's backs looked dangerous and a good run by Horne again tested the Dalesmen's defence before a brilliant solo run by Cox, took him over between the posts leaving Cavender with a simple conversion.

The Ribblesdale backs squandered most of the possession which came their way with injudicious kicking, but as always their feisty pack was difficult to subdue. The Keighley line was put under pressure for long periods, but a solid defence restricted the scoring to a brace of penalty goals by stand off Adam Whaites.

Sugden's red card could well have instigated a change in fortune for the visitors, but Keighley's weakened pack rose to the occasion. They more than held their own throughout the half, well won possession on the defending 22 metre line allowing scrum half Adam Balderstone to dart through on the blind side for a good try.

A determined tackle bursting rum run by centre Phil Hannah brought him the forth try, expertly converted by Cavender who completed a satisfactory afternoon's work both by himself and the side in general with a late penalty goal.

For Saturday's home league game against Goole, Richard Cavender retains his place at stand off and Scott Amos returns at scrum half. Skipper Rob Riley resumes at prop with Joe McArthur on the bench.

North Ribblesdale 2nds 12

Keighley 2nds 16

John Currie kicked Keighley into an early lead, but solid defending ensured Ribblesdale were ahead at the break.

Soon after the early penalty Keighley's backs opened space for Ryan Gill on the right, but with the try line beckoning he let the ball slip.

With half time beckoning Knowles, again back covering a kick down field, chipped the ball into the grateful hands of the right wingman who gleefully ran under the posts leaving an easy conversion.

The Keighley side was stunned by the score, when they knew that they should have had the game sewn up.

Keighley's misfortunes continued immediately after halftime when they did not control the ball at the first lineout, the ball bounced over the Keighley line. Stand off Rob Wilkinson appeared to have dropped on the ball to make it dead, but one of the Ribblesdale forwards picked up the ball and touched down for the referee to give a try.

With Kevin Young leading the charge in the centres he set up good positions by pulling two and three tacklers each time. At last Philips was given half a chance when Knowles threw a basketball pass, and Philips slipped in at the corner. The goal was missed but Keighley had reduced Ribblesdale's lead to four points.

With ten minutes to go Currie collected the ball and his strength took him through the would-be tacklers to score an excellent try.

Keighley were not going to let the game slip away again and some good kicking by Wilkinson kept Ribblesdale pinned back in their own half. Wilkinson had the last say when he made the game safe with a penalty goal.

It was only the third time Ribblesdale had lost this season and two of the defeats were to the Keighley side, so the Keighley team could feel pleased with the win against a side that were not used to loosing.