Report: Keighley Cougars 26-25 Rochdale Hornets

Rochdale Hornets fell to an agonising last-minute defeat at the hands of Keighley Cougars in what was the home side’s second win of the League 1 season.

Gary Thornton’s side were looking to avenge their defeat at North Wales Crusaders two weeks previously, whilst the hosts were bidding to build on their victory over Newcastle Thunder in their last encounter.

On a sunny afternoon in West Yorkshire, it was the visitors who drew first blood in their first set of the match. The Keighley defence allowed a high kick from debutant Jack Miller to bounce inside their own 10m, Lewis Else pounced upon the loose ball to strike from close range and give his side the lead. Miller added the extras, and the Hornets were off to the perfect start.

The rest of the first half was a different story, however, as just before the quarter hour mark, the home side moved the ball from right to left with Brad Holroyd providing an acrobatic finish in the corner. 

Five minutes later, their lead was extended - Corner Sayner picked up a grubber kick and proceeded to go the full length of the field to touch down, the conversion was missed again, but Alan Kilshaw’s side held the lead for the first time in the match by eight points to four.

Halfway through the first half, Luke Forber was given a yellow card for holding down in the tackle and from the resulting set, the Cougars were in again. Brad England stretched over the line for a try, which Luke Beharrell converted to give the home team a ten-point cushion. 

Keighley were piling the pressure on the Hornets, and with ten minutes to go until the break, Sayner produced his second full-length of the field try of the match to the delight of the home support. Beharrell converted, and the Cougars were in a strong position at the break with a 20-6 lead.

Hornets needed a big second-half performance, and that’s exactly what they produced. Eight minutes into the second period, Luke Forber dived over in the corner, and Miller converted from out wide to cut the lead to eight points. 

Seven minutes later and the away team were in again, a cross-field kick from Gregg McNally bounced around the in-goal area, and in the nick of time, Else was there to tap the ball down just before it fell in touch. Miller added the extras to make it 20-18, and all the momentum was with Rochdale. 

With 20 minutes to go, Junior Sa’u scored in the corner to put the hosts further ahead, with Rochdale’s saving grace one more being a missed conversion from Beharrell. 

Five minutes later, however and Rochdale hit back. Dan Nixon took a superb catch off a high kick, before handing the ball off to captain Duane Straugheir, who finished off the move under the sticks. Miller converted to bring the scores level and put the contest firmly in the balance.

In the closing stages of the match, Rochdale had the wind in their sails and looked the more threatening team. A late Tom Ashton try was ruled out for obstruction six minutes from time.

On 77 minutes, the Cougars went for a drop goal which headed wide of the posts which allowed Rochdale to go down the other end and set up a drop goal of their own, which Miller slotted over the bar to give his new side a one point lead against his old club in the dying embers. 

It wasn’t over there though, Keighley went down the other end and right on the final hooter were awarded a penalty for a swinging arm inside the Rochdale 20m. Beharrell, who’d had an inconsistent day from the tee so far, scored the one that mattered to win the game for his side at the death.

It was a gut-wrenching way for the visitors to lose a game which seemed to be won with the Miller drop goal, but there will be plenty of positives to take away from a strong second half performance for Gary Thornton and his side before their next outing in three weeks time.

Keighley Cougars: Sayner, Holroyd, Sa’u, Nuu, Walkley, Farrell, Beharrell, Schofield, Brown, Teanby, Parker, England, Green.

Interchanges: Bowes, Ioane, Hatton, Lanskey

Tries: Sayner (2), Holroyd, England, Sa’u

Goals: Beharrell (3)

Rochdale Hornets: McNally, Nixon, Darbyshire, Ashton, Forber, Miller, Else, Farnworth, Whitmore, Nelmes, Forster, Straugheir, Whittell.

Interchanges: Punchard, Dayes, Andrade, Killan

Tries: Else (2), Forber, Straugheir

Goals: Miller (4) Drop Goal: Miller