Centre Steve Cullen posted two second-half tries to guide Keighley Albion to a comfortable win in the preliminary round of the Pennine President's Cup at East Bierley.

The opening exchanges saw both sets of forwards tackling strongly but Birkenshaw suffered a major blow when pack leader Paul Bancroft left the fray with an ankle injury.

Albion broke the deadlock after Cullen had a try disallowed for a forward pass when prop forward Danny Bowness came steaming on to the inside ball and spun out of two tackles to reach the whitewash, scrum half John Gwilliam slotting over the extra two.

Birkenshaw hit back when stand-off Andy Hirst spotted acres of space on the flank, giving wingman Tony Marshall the simple task of touching down his crossfield kick to the

corner.

Bowness surprised the hosts when he popped up in the centre position to put wingman Paul Turner over in the corner, and Gwilliam added a splendid touchline conversion.

Albion continued their purple patch when centre Colin Pickles left Marshall grasping thin air with a quicksilver side-step to ghost over but with Gwilliam off the field with a cut leg Cullen missed the conversion attempt.

Birkenshaw, who trailed 16-4 at the break, replied in the best possible fashion on the restart.

Quick hands between centre Morton Robinson and prop Mark Houlden gave Robinson the chance to squeeze in at the corner.

But Albion rode back upfield and Cullen was on hand to take the final pass on the overlap.

Birky's pack began to wilt under the relentless pressure, with debutant substitute Ian Cholmondeley and veteran hooker Johnny Turpin having to work overtime.

Albion youngster Alan Muff just about edged the battle of the stand-offs against the experienced Hirst with a swerving run that was only thwarted by a crunching last-ditch tackle.

The straw that broke the camel's back came on the hour when second-row forward Marco Ferrazzano charged up the middle, knocking aside all-comers in a 60-metre gallop to the posts.

Cullen then created further havoc in the Birkenshaw rearguard when he cut inside from the touchline to plant the ball under the uprights.

Bang on the final minute, prop Mark Smith took advantage of tired legs to barge his way over.

The versatile Bowness added all the extras to deservedly put Albion into the hat for the first-round draw.