MATCH REPORT: KEIGHLEY COUGARS 24-26 MIDLANDS HURRICANES - LEAGUE ONE ROUND THREE

Jake Sweeting and Izaac Farrell chase a kick up field (Credit: JT Sports Media)

Canes hold on to record historic first victory at Cougar Park

Yesterday the Midlands Hurricanes made the second trip to Cougar Park in as many months, this time for our third league game of the season. The first time round the Canes sent a youthful and much-changed side to Keighley for the Second Preliminary Round of the 1895 Cup, and a battle of attrition saw an Izaac Farrell drop-goal the only thing separating the sides as Keighley advanced to the First Round Proper. Notwithstanding this the sides have had different fortunes in the league, with the Canes undefeated after a 16-14 win at Goole and a 16-16 draw at home to Workington and the Cougars entering the game on the back of 44-0 and 20-4 defeats to Rochdale and Whitehaven.

Head Coach Mark Dunning knew that a win at Cougar Park would represent another of many “firsts” under his tenure, and a Keighley side reeling from a poor start could either be the perfect opportunity to strike or a potential banana skin against an established side. With that in mind he would no doubt have been glad to welcome back Matty Chrimes and Jake Sweeting from injury and Josh Jordan-Roberts who also returned from his own spell on the sidelines as 18th man. That said, the Canes were still without injured half-back Callum McLelland so young Sully Medforth paired up with Jake Sweeting in the halves.

The game started off fairly even as both teams went through the common feeling out process in their opening sets. However, it was the visitors who would strike first after eight minutes as a short pass to Ryan Johnson saw him cut through the Cougars line before being held in place, but not before being presented with the opportunity to offload to Todd Horner who took advantage of the gap created to dive over in the left-hand corner (0-4). Jake Sweeting was on hand to add the extras with an impressive curling conversion from out wide (0-6). The momentum bounced back to the hosts, however, as multiple penalties gifted the Cougars several sets on the Canes line. Such opportunities seemed bound to bear fruit, and sure enough a long looping pass to Keighley winger Billy Walkley saw him round Luis Roberts to score (4-6). Jack Miller’s conversion attempt certainly had the legs from out wide, but unfortunately for Keighley the effort drifted wide of the posts.

Just three minutes later, the Canes struck back with their second of the afternoon as some strong passing from right to left found Todd Horner with an opportunity to cut inside and stretch out to score his (and our) second of the afternoon as the Cougars defence scrambled to keep him out (4-10). In an uncharacteristic twist, the usually reliable Jake Sweeting’s conversion attempt from out wide drifted horribly left of the posts. Keighley once again bounced back and scored a second themselves as Billy Walkley was the grateful recipient of some good handling and found himself in space to cut through and bag a brace in the left-hand corner (8-10). Jack Miller was once again unable to add the extras from the kicking tee, and the Canes remained two points in front.

As we entered the final 15 minutes of the first half, a strong attacking set from the Canes put Sully Medforth in position to kick a deft grubber and force the Keighley defence to concede a goal-line drop-out. From the resulting set it was none other than Ryan Johnson who - having produced a glut of assists so far this season - spotted an opportunity to sell the dummy and squirm out of an attempted tackle to put the ball down in the left-hand corner (8-14). Jake Sweeting’s conversion was well wide of the mark once again, with the strong winds playing their part in preventing the Canes from widening their lead.

Just four minutes later the Canes struck once again, however this time it was Keighley’s right edge that was breached as some superb attacking play from left to right saw Todd Horner in place to pass out wide to Luis Roberts, with the man dubbed “Shiraz” using his large 6”4 frame to wrestle and barge his way over for his second try in Canes colours (8-18). Jake Sweeting was unable to add the extras from out wide once again, but this time the ball whizzed just left of the posts. Despite the score difference of only ten points, the tension at Cougar Park being generated by the frustrated home attendance was clear for all to see.

As we approach the dying embers of the first half, the Canes managed to push forward once more and go into the sheds with a four-score lead. Another impressive attacking set saw us come within 10 metres of the Cougars line, and another assault down the right edge saw Ross Oakes in space and the former Bradford and Sheffield centre took full advantage by barging over to get our fifth try of the game (8-22). As the half-time hooter sounded around Cougar Park it was Sully Medforth who stepped up to kick from out wide on the right edge, and a beautiful curling effort saw us enter the changing rooms with a strong 16-point lead against a dumbfounded Keighley Cougars side.

Half-time: Keighley Cougars 8-24 Midlands Hurricanes

Whatever Keighley Cougars interim coach Jordie Hedges said to his lads in the sheds clearly resonated with the home side, as the hosts came flying out of the changing rooms determined to make amends. The first ten minutes were a relentless slog against the Midlands line, and despite some strong defending the sustained pressure eventually paid dividends as a well placed grubber kick by Brandon Pickersgill saw Billy Walkley dive over for his hat-trick in the left-hand corner (12-24) on the 50-minute mark. Faced with another difficult conversion from out wide, Jack Miller missed his third consecutive kick and the Canes remained two converted scores ahead.

The next five minutes followed the preceding ten as the Cougars’ tails were up, but the Canes obtained a brief reprieve when a wayward pass on the last sailed behind the attacking line and gave Sully Medforth an opportunity to wrap up the Cougars player as he attempted to regather the ball 35 metres out from the Midlands line. The next few minutes gave the visitors a rare spell in attack, and some scrambling defence from Keighley saw the referee blow a penalty for interference 10 metres out. Jake Sweeting did not hesitate to call for the kicking tee in the full knowledge a penalty would put us three scores ahead, and despite a difficult afternoon conversion-wise the former Castleford half had no prospects of missing from in front of the sticks (12-26).

Knowing a historic first defeat to the Canes was on the cards, the final 20 minutes saw the hosts turn up the heat and apply immense pressure. Things weren’t helped by the Canes mis-reading the kick return as a belief the ball would go out on the full led to Midlands conceding a goal-line drop-out and gifting the hosts possession once again. Keighley almost made us pay straight away as Leo Aliyiu barged his way through the defence to get under the posts, however a slightly overzealous grounding attempt saw the prop forward bounce the ball on the line and concede a 20-metre restart.

Unfortunately for the Canes, a freak incident would see the Cougars (and Billy Walkley) score their fourth of the afternoon just a couple of minutes later. Despite getting within 20 metres of the Cougars line following a positive attacking set, a run by Todd Horner seemingly saw the ball stripped in the tackle and virtually everybody but Walkley stopped in the belief a penalty might be called. Following a brief staring contest between the referee and his touch-judge, the Cougars winger plucked the ball from the ground and raced away up the left edge to score in the left-hand corner (16-26). Jack Miller’s effort from out wide was successful this time, and the Cougars were back within eight (18-26).

With a little under ten minutes to go, the Cougars struck once again as Nolan Tupaea - on dual-registration from Super League side Warrington Wolves - received a short pass and spotted a gap down the right edge to dot the ball down (22-26). Jack Miller’s kicking form had seemingly returned as another strong curling effort sailed between the sticks (24-26). After a long period of silence the Cougars faithful had well and truly woken up to the prospect of Keighley snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, and Midlands would need to dig down deep to leave with the two points.

With five minutes to go the Canes had an opportunity to put the game to bed, but a grubber from Jake Sweeting early in the set ten metres out was gathered by the hosts as they charged up the field before being brought down on half-way. The Cougars were able to get within ten metres of our line in the resulting set, however an absolute rib-tickler of a tackle saw the ball squirm out of the Keighley player’s hands for a knock-on. The Canes managed to get themselves within 10 metres of the hosts line from the resulting set, but a bullet pass from Mikey Wood to Ross Oakes saw the ball fly out following contact.

The final minute almost saw the Cougars break Midlands hearts, as a last-ditch attacking play saw a number of offloads as the scrambling Canes defence could not halt a Keighley side determined to cause an upset. The last tackle saw Izaac Farrell make a half-break and - as he was mid-air in the process of being brought down - make an audacious offload that was collected and dotted down in the left-hand corner. As the home stand exploded into raptures at the prospect of having clinched the win, some eagle-eyed Canes fans cheered as the referee blew his whistle and called the play back for a forward pass.

The Canes played it safe for the final set of the game, and to the relief of everybody in a white jersey the full-time hooter blew as he approached the last tackle 30 metres out from the Canes line. History had finally been made - not only was it the first victory for a Canes side over Keighley since 2021, but it was a first ever win at Cougar Park and a win that saw the visitors finish the weekend top of the league with five points.

Midlands now turn their attention to Blaydon next Sunday as they travel north to take on Newcastle Thunder, who made their longest away trip of the season yesterday as they fell to a 32-22 defeat to Cornwall at The Memorial Ground. They will no doubt be keen to spoil the Canes’ party on home turf, and Mark Dunning’s men will need to put in a professional performance to come away with the win.

Full-time: Keighley Cougars 24-26 Midlands Hurricanes

Man of the Match:
Luis Roberts (Sponsored by Crypto Construction)

Tries:
Todd Horner (2), Ryan Johnson, Luis Roberts and Ross Oakes

Conversions:
Jake Sweeting (1/4), Sully Medforth (1/1)

Penalties:
Jake Sweeting

Scoring sequence:
0-4, 0-6, 4-6, 4-10, 8-10, 8-14, 8-18, 8-22, 8-24, 12-24, 12-26, 16-26, 18-26, 22-26 and 24-26.