Featherstone Rovers 44, Keighley Cougars 2.

Keighley Cougars pair Rob Roberts and Mark Campbell were sent off as this West Yorkshire derby exploded into violence.

Both men were dismissed, along with Featherstone's Chico Jackson, as two vicious melees erupted in a bizarre seven-minute spell of a game in which Keighley were always second best.

The first free-for-all came after 45 minutes when Roberts clashed with Jackson ten yards from the Cougars' line.

This prompted amazing scenes with three separate brawls erupting and, after a three-minute conference between the officials, it was Jackson and Campbell who were dismissed.

However, this was merely the prelude to one of the most remarkable clashes I have seen at a rugby league ground.

It came during a period when both sides appeared to have lost interest in the ball and seemed more concerned with flattening their opposite numbers.

The brawl began when Roberts stiff-armed Danny Kimmel near the halfway line. Then, as the players squared up to each other, Roberts head-butted Shaun Irwin.

Three Rovers players immediately set about Roberts with some vicious punches as violence flared all over the field, Phil Stephenson and Gary Price also exchanging fierce blows in a different clash.

Surprisingly referee Ron Laughton chose to send only Roberts off, with Irwin, Carl Hall and Danny Baker all lucky to stay on the field.

Eventually the game settled down again, but with Cougars now reduced to 11 men and already trailing 20-2, the game was over.

Rovers had sealed matters in the first half against a Cougars side who were a pale shadow of the team that had pushed leaders Hull KR so hard on Good Friday.

They lacked any ideas going forward, with confusion reigning on too many occasions.

And in defence they allowed Rovers far too much space as they ran in tries through Hall, Steve Collins and Irwin.

Cougars could only reply through a Roberts penalty, and once the dust had settled on the two second half brawls, it was clear Keighley would find it hard to contain Rovers.

And so it proved as the home side ran in another try through Paddy Handley and three more from man of the match Collins.

However, it will be the incredible scenes in the second half which will be the abiding memory of this defeat, and it remains to be seen what action the Rugby League will take after viewing video footage.

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