MAN-of-the-match Sean Kelly limped towards the chair upon which he then stood to drink the traditional after-game pint of beer.

But there was little to suggest during Keighley’s Yorkshire Division Two 38-6 derby win over North Ribblesdale that anything was impairing him.

“I tweaked my hip, but I should be all right for next week,” explained the 30-year-old.

Kelly had given a typically solid display to help the leaders maintain their seven-point lead in the table over Wetherby, who have a game in hand and host Keighley on April 2.

The wind, unusually for Rose Cottage, was blowing from the town centre rather than from Skipton, and a smattering of rain meant many of the spectators preferred to watch from the stand or from underneath the shelter of the clubhouse rather than brave the elements, although there were still the hardy bunch who opted to view from the top of the banking.

Keighley, watched by some of their former players, who were having a reunion and sponsoring the match, scored four tries before half-time to collect the bonus point.

Keighley, who had won all nine of their previous home league matches this season, had the early pressure in what was the inaugural clash for the Gordon Throup Challenge Cup, the former Yorkshire, Wharfedale, Morley and North Ribb hooker having died of cancer last November aged just 56.

A Ribb knock-on and a charge down of a clearance kick kept play in the visitors’ 22, and the hosts went ahead in the ninth minute when winger Jack Atkinson stormed onto an offload by fly half Alex Brown, who added the conversion.

Prop Andrew Heys was equally unstoppable in the 24th minute when he powered over from close range for Brown to again improve.

Keighley wrapped up the bonus point with long-distance tries from centres Kelly and Adam Horsfall in the final 10 minutes of the half.

Brown improved both and all that Ribb, bolstered by 57-year-old man-of-the-match John Thwaite in the front row, had to show for their efforts was a penalty by Yorkshire Colts fly half Freddie Spensley, although Harris Dinsdale was a lively presence on the right wing.

The second half was more broken in terms of play than beforehand, although full back Alfie Seeley threatened to create something from deep for the home side.

And they survived the sin-binning of lock Ed Keighley for a high tackle on Ribb winger Jack Depledge relatively unscathed, with the confident Spensley adding a superb 35-metre drop goal.

Keighley then added a flourish to their score with late tries from replacement Alan Ebbrell and flanker Shaun Minikin.

In other results, Cleckheaton edged out Driffield 21-15 in North One East, but Bradford & Bingley saw their game at Morpeth postponed.

Bradford Salem lost 38-6 to Selby in Yorkshire One, Baildon beat Wath Upon Dearne 21-10 in Yorkshire Two, and Harrogate Pythons shut out Wibsey 53-0 in Yorkshire Three.