MATCH REPORT: KEIGHLEY COUGARS 29 MIDLANDS HURRICANES 18
Ben Stead is wrapped up by his former team mates. Pic: JT Sports Media.
KEIGHLEY COUGARS 29 MIDLANDS HURRICANES 18
DAVE MUSSON, Cougar Park, Sunday 22 May 2022
HURRICANES interim coach Dave Scott said his side can take heart from a gut-wrenching away defeat, after giving top-of-the-table Keighley Cougars a real scare in West Yorkshire on Sunday.
The Midlanders were just a point behind the unbeaten Cougars with seven minutes to play after a fantastic performance, before - agonisingly - two late scores saw the hosts scrape the win.
Tries from Jack Dawson, Brad Clavering and former Cougar Matty Welham capped a fine performance from the Hurricanes who, on another day, might have snuck a win after having two further tries chalked off.
Brad Clavering tries to break the line. Pic: JT Sports Media.
In the end, a try from Charlie Graham, and two each from Nathan Roebuck and Mo Agoro were enough for Keighley, who will also be grateful for a Dane Chisholm drop goal midway through the second half that ensured his side always stayed just in front.
Scott said: “The group played very well across the park and showed a lot of resilience - particularly in defence when Keighley put us under pressure. We showed patience and composure on the opposition goal line and were happy to build pressure which eventually turned into points.
“We were the better team for large parts of the game and had a few decisions gone the other way then we would have been celebrating a victory against arguably the best team in the competition.”
“We can take great confidence from the performance moving forward.”
Kieron Lawton tries to get an attack going. Pic: JT Sports Media.
The opening quarter of the game was a frustrating one for the Hurricanes, as they weren’t able to get a foothold or any points on the board. Graham went over after six minutes for a converted score, before Jack Miller slotted a penalty after 25 minutes to edge them further ahead.
It then got worse for the Hurricanes, who saw Benn Hardcastle sin-binned for a professional foul. The Cougars took advantage of the extra man to score again, this time through Roebuck.
But the Hurricanes were soon able to break their duck, with Dawson squeezing through the defence to score, despite still being short a man, and bring them to within two scores at the break.
Back to their full complement of players, the Hurricanes started the second half strongly and were controversially denied a second try of the afternoon six minutes after the restart. Hardcastle looked as though he had marked his return to Cougar Park with a score, but it was ruled out.
There then followed a frustrating few minutes for the visitors, who first saw Hayden Freeman sent to the bin for delaying the restart, and then conceding another try when Roebuck bagged his second of the afternoon.
However, they dusted themselves down and kept attacking the Cougars, more than matching their table-topping opponents and dominating the middle of the park.
Ben Stead barks his orders. Pic: JT Sports Media.
This effort was rewarded with 13 minutes to play when Clavering crashed into a tackle, then spun around to score and claw his side back to within touching distance.
Moments later, they thought they’d drawn level when Kieron Lawton stole the ball and touched down, only for it to be deemed a knock-on. Salt was rubbed into that wound a minute later with Chisholm’s drop goal.
Yet still the Hurricanes struck back, this time Matty Welham cutting through his former club’s defence to score in the corner. Hardcastle’s conversion made it a one-point game with just seven minutes to play.
Sadly for the Hurricanes, they weren’t able to inflict a first defeat of 2022 on the Cougars, who added a generous amount of gloss to the scoreline in the final moments with two tries from Agoro.
It was a thrilling match and terrific showing from the Hurricanes, but also another frustrating trip on the road where the Midlanders were left pondering what might have been.
Hayden Freeman and Matty Welham desperately try to defend the Hurricanes line. Pic: JT Sports Media.
The Hurricanes’ next game is on Sunday 5 June, when they welcome the West Wales Raiders to Portway. Kick off is at 3pm.
Hurricanes Man of the Match: Russ Spiers
MATCH FACTS
COUGARS: Young, Agoro, Roebuck, Graham, Stephenson, Chisholm, Miller, Everett, Feather, Levy, Parker, Santi, Kesik.
Subs (all used): Gaylor, Desmond-Walker, Bailey, Spence.
Tries: Graham (6), Roebuck (32, 53), Agoro (76, 80)
Goals:- Miller 4/6
Drop goals: Chisholm
HURRICANES: Cowburn, Lawton, M Welham, L Welham, Freeman, Stead, Hardcastle, Clavering, Windley, Spiers, Bowring, Martin, Dawson.
Subs (all used): Bull, Boardman, Newbound, Croston.
Tries: Dawson (36), Clavering (67), M Welham (72)
Goals: Stead 1/1, Hardcastle 2/2
Sinbin: Hardcastle (28) - professional foul, Freeman (51) - delaying restart
Half time: 14-6
Referee: Bradley Milligan
Attendance: 1,126
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 8-0, 14-0, 14-6, 18-6, 18-12, 19-12, 19-18, 23-18, 29-18