Couars 62, Strela Kazan 14 - Matt Bramald ran riot with a four-try haul as Cougars outclassed Russian side Strela Kazan

The young team from the city of Kazan - 600 miles east of Moscow - were certainly outclassed but they refused to lie down, and put in a spirited performance which won the admiration of the crowd.

They came close to scoring in the opening minutes after an enterprising 40-20 kick when hooker Alexander Napalkov was held inches short of the line. He followed up by chasing his own kick through and again was a finger-tip away from getting the vital touch.

As Cougars broke out of defence Bramald slipped through the Kazan defence to race from inside his own half and score at the side of the posts after just six minutes. Four minutes later Matt Foster collected a high crossfield kick and worked a slick run-around move with Andy Robinson.

While they were still fresh Strela's experienced full back, Oleg Sokolob - a Russian international - powered his way in at the corner. However, on a cosmopolitan afternoon at Cougar Park his try was ruled out for a double movement by French referee Jean Boulagon.

Later the full back was to be sin-binned for tripping at the play the ball and his side simply could not handle the Cougar attack in his abscence.

Matty Firth, who was again leading from the front was on David Foster's shoulder to make it 18-0 to the home side after just 16 minutes and the Cougar side were visibly growing in confidence.

Phil Stephenson was determined to get in on the act and the Keighley prop forced his way through a tackle and charged 30 yards to the line showing an impressive turn of speed, slipping in a slinky dummy before getting the touch down. Paul Ashton had little difficulty adding his third conversion of the afternoon.

Stephenson was on hand again with another break which was finished off by Firth for his second try of the afternoon and moment's later Paul Ashton went in at the corner after collecting a kick, but was ruled offside.

After 30minutes the Russian side finally put points on the board when the impressive winger Maxim Keller wriggled through the defence on the left.

Four minutes later Napalkov, who had been close earlier in the game, added another Strela try after his side had put Cougars under pressure. Stand off Rinat Chamsoutdinov added the conversion and at 28-10 the team from the state of Tatarstan had shown they were not going to meekly hand the game to the Cougar side.

New boy Lewis Taylor burst through a tackle and raced to the line for his first try in a Cougar shirt and Ashton's conversion made it 34-10 at the break.

Within 10 minutes of the restart Cougars indicated they were going to show no mercy on the Strela side which had not played a competitive match in months. Bramald grabbed his second and Ashton added the touchline conversion.

Five minutes later Johnny Wainhouse twisted and turned out of the tackle, bringing back memories of former Cougar park favourite ian Gately, to score his first home try.

Lewis Taylor again showed an impressive burst of speed for a prop for his second try with the conversion, taking Cougars to the 50-point mark. Bramald completed his hat-trick and Ashton maintained a successful afternoon with the boot as the one-way traffic continued.

But the biggest cheer of the afternoon came when Strela wing man Maxim Keller went in for his second try of the afternoon after full back Sokolob had teased the Keighley defence.

Bramald's fourth try came when he finished off a break down the left and confirmed that his skill and experience will be an important element in the season ahead for the Gary Moorby's side.

They face a much tougher task in the next round when they travel to face Pia in the South of France - the club's first overseas venture.