Keighley 2nd XV 56 North Ribblesdale 2nd XV 0 -

Keighley dominated the game from the beginning both in the forwards and the backs. With more consistent goal kicking and the will to pass the ball rather than going for glory in the second half the score could have been well over the seventy mark.

The front row of Fitzsimmons, Scott and Duffy were soon on top of their opposition and from these scrums Schofield in the backrow and Godfrey at scrum-half were soon running at every opportunity. Peter Schofield coming back from injury was soon on the score sheet with the first try of the afternoon. Brady Godfrey converted the try from wide out.

Nick Wright scored his first try of the game when he was given a good pass to allow him a stroll in at the corner. His second try soon followed when he ran from thirty yards out to beat three would be tacklers for an excellent try. Both conversions were missed. Keighley next try came after a series of battering runs at the line by Tom McArthur and John Gibson. Schofield profited from this work to dive through the melee to score his second try. Again Godfrey failed in the swirling wind to kick the goal. Godfrey also used the hard work carried out by the forwards to slip over for a try. With the score up to twenty seven at half time Keighley looked to be set for a big score.

Ribblesdale lost their hooker and with no suitable replacement Andrew Foster on the Keighley bench volunteered to play for the opposition. His tenacity in the loose helped to keep the Keighley score down. Paul Sinfield and Russ Gibson replaced Nigel Fitzsimmons and John Duffy in the front row. Fitzsimmons did later put on a blue shirt when Ribblesdale lost one of their props. Richard Cavender at stand off was now ruling the roost and bringing his backs more into the game. Warren Knowles glided over in the corner for one his typical trys. Brady Godfrey after good work by both backs and forwards slipped a short pass to the ever present Scott to allow him to score a try. The goal kicking had not improved and no extra points were added. Matthew Cox who had replaced Wright was given a walk in try when from the back of the scrum Schofield and Godfrey combined to give Cox the final pass. Cox then scored his second try when he showed he has not lost his pace after many weeks out of the game when he ran in a try from forty yards our to score under the posts. At last Godfrey was able to add on the extra two points. The final try was scored by Paul Anderson who has just joined the club. A strong running centre with lots of experience he brushed off would be tacklers to score his try. Ben Woodwiss took over the goal kicking and added the extra points. With still ten minutes to go a big score looked to be on the cards, but from the kick off the Ribblesdale right wingman was tackled hard and he dislocated his shoulder. As they had already used their subs plus two of Keighley's the referee decided that he had had enough and blew for the end of the game.

Keighley 3rd XV 36

N Ribblesdale 3rd XV 14

Two tries in the opening 15 minutes from Brookes and Cotterill suggested that Keighley would go on and win comfortably against their local rivals. Keighley players Lawlor and Sugden were loaned to the Settle side for much of the game to make up the numbers and very nearly paid for it.

The home side played well in patches, with good possession being won in the line by Muff and Thornton following some accurate throwing-in by Dyson. A makeshift second row consisting of Kenrick and Watson along with props Birkett and Schofield also performed well winning plenty of ball. However, some over-elaborate back play and basic handling errors prevented the score line changing until the 60th minute when Whittaker scored a fine individual try under the posts for Grant to convert.

With the score at 17-0 with only 15 minutes remaining, Keighley became complacent and conceded two quick converted tries.

An unconverted try by Muff with five minutes remaining won the game for Keighley. With the pressure off, the margin of victory was extended to 36-14 thanks to two late tries from Coterill and Coppack both converted by Grant.

Phillips, Lockwood, Shone, MaCarthur and McGill also played well, the latter sustaining a serious groin injury midway through the second half.