Keighley Cougars, 24 York City Knights 46

Unforced errors and a huge lapse in concentration just before the break saw careless Cougars destroyed by Paul March-inspired York City Knights this afternoon.

The former Wakefield Trinity Wildcats star scored twice, created a few more and generally annoyed Keighley with his niggly tactics all afternoon as the hosts crashed to a third successive defeat.

York's player-coach was eventually sin-binned in the 70th minute, just seconds after Paul Hughes had also been yellow-carded for fighting, reducing them to 11 men.

But, trailing 40-24, Keighley couldn't make the advantage count, wasting countless ball and even seeing themselves arguing between each other as moves broke down.

York winger John Oakes pulled off a remarkable last-ditch tackle on Ryan Smith after Jon Presley's scorching break from deep had seemingly left his winger destined for the corner and, as frustrations grew in the home crowd, the depleted visitors rubbed it in by charging up the other end for Tom Hodgson to get their eighth try of the afternoon.

It left Keighley ruined but Barry Eaton's side should never have been so far behind.

They started well with Sam Gardner's first try and, although York hit back through efforts from Lee Mapals, Ross Divorty and March, Andy Shickell powered over on 35 minutes with Danny Jones' kick seeing them trail just 16-12.

It was the perfect response after they had fallen off the pace but Tom Palmer coughed up in the re-start let them off the hook further.

York then scored twice in as many minutes as first slack defence allowed Hodgson to wriggle over and then Keighley switched off again to hand March his second.

Danny Ratcliffe converted both to gift the visitors a 28-12 interval lead they never looked like giving up.

Although winger Gardner bagged his second after the re-start to give Keighley hope, Eaton watched on helplessly as they needlessly spilled too much ball to be able to get back into the contest.

They were fortunate not to be further behind when both Hodgson and Ratcliffe fumbled over the line but free-scoring Mapals did get his second, catching Presley's poor kick on the full to race 95 metres and capitalise on another wasted Cougars chance.

Ratcliffe was next across the whitewash when scrum half March's excellent reverse kick showed Presley how it should be done, leaving the home defence rooted and, although Cougars prop Brendan Rawlins stepped over for Jones to boot his fourth conversion, there was no reprieve.

Hughes and March were both sent to the sidelines but it was York who finished strongest.

Cougars centre Mick Fogerty made his first-team return after a year out with a wrist injury but he couldn't inspire his side and was put on report for allegedly tripping David March in the 23rd minute.

March suffered the same fate himself after a dangerous tackle on Cougars full back George Rayner in a fiery game that threatened to blow up on more than one occasion.