Cougar Academy 22 Salford City Reds 22 - Although a draw was in the end a fair result the Academy must look back at the 10 minutes before half time, when they let the game slip.

They were 13-4 ahead and allowed Salford in for two converted tries to allow the manchester Super League side to take a 16-13 half-time lead.

The game had started so brightly for the young Cougars with Scott Bellamy and new boy Eddie Wilson leading the way, and it came as no surprise when Eddie Wilson crashed over for their first try, converted by Gareth Holmes. An Andy Feather drop goal made it 7-0.

Then came the now statutary disallowed Cougar try. A break down the touchline side saw Scott Bellamy slip the ball away with four or five defenders on him, the ball was swept across field for a try in the corner.

To everyone's amazement the linesman intervened, resulting in a penalty to Salford. But such was the Cougar dominantion that within minutes Andy Feather scored under the posts, again Gareth Holmes converting to deservedly lead 13-0.

The Reds however came more and more into the game reducing the lead to 13-4 with a try out wide, and inspired by their big forwards took command of the game with those two converted tries just before the break.

The Cougars second half performance must rank as their best so far, for despite losing the towering presence of Scott Bellamy, sin-binned for retaliation, they took the game to the Reds and were rewarded with a Chris Parker try, again converted by Gareth Holmes which made it 10-16 to the Cougars. Three drop goals, two by Andy Feather and one from John Carter stretched the lead to six points, as the Cougars kept up the pressure.

Back came the Reds their hooker plunging over for an unconverted try.

Could the Academy hang on to win by two points - no said the referee.

A penalty to the Reds for lying on, tied the score 22-22.

The result was a measure of how much this young Cougar side has progressed - and Paul Hazlewood was by far the happier coach after the game. "It's a great result for us," he said.

There were big performances all around the park but Eddie Wilson, in his first game took the man of the match award.

On Sunday they are away to Warrington Wolves, kicking off at 12.30 in a curtain-raiser to the Warrington v Bradford Bulls Super League game.