Cougars rebuild shattered pride

For years Tomlinson has been one of Cougar Park's 'nearly men,' a player who has shown real promise in the youth and A team squads, but has never really blossomed.

On Sunday he showed that he has the power and pace to upset the best defences in the Northern Ford competition. But it took an altercation with Giants' blond-haired fullback Paul Reilly to light the blue touch paper.

Tomlinson has pace and must cover hundreds of yards a season running across the pitch. This time his determination brushed him past the Huddersfield line and he put Cougars on the launch pad for a superb try.

Paul Ashton supplied Danny Fearon who slipped a sharp pass to James Rushforth. The Cougar captain powered his way to the line, driving defenders before him to score under the posts.

Although it was the only Cougar try it showed the spirit and determination the few diehard fans, who feared a slaughter, have been longing for all season.

It was a game that was only going to have one outcome - the result was never in doubt, but Huddersfield were made to fight all the way. It is important to remember the shambles coach Gary Moorby inherited were thrashed 66-0 at the McAlpine Stadium on New Year's Day.

Although this was still a defeat it showed the team has made progress, and also indicated that there is much more to come. If they approach every game with such single-minded determination the results will start to go their way.

It was certainly a transformation for their poor performance - which earned a victory - at Gateshead the previous week.

After the match Moorby said: "The score tells us there's been progress since January, just as the result against Sheffield did in June. It proves that we are moving forward with limited resources."

Those limited resources were stretched to the limit on Sunday. Karl Smith was on the bench, but was never going to play a part in proceedings despite nine players not making the starting squad including Simeon Hoyle, who was ill, and Chris Hannah.

Academy star Chris Hartley played hooker for the first time in his life, coming in at the 11th hour for Hoyle, and did a commendable job. Danny Ekis ran his heart out, and there were commendable performances across the pitch.

If anything Cougars were unlucky to loose by 24 points, and it was former Cougar Rob 'Two Bobs' Roberts using his size and power to snatch a hat-trick of tries for the Giants.

It was a much more disciplined and error-free performance than the Cougars have been turning in of late. They certainly controlled the ball better than the Giants in the first half with a two-to-nine error count in Keighley's favour.

Huddersfield led just 12-4 at the break and two rare penalties set them up for each try. Paul Reilly crossed with ease in the fifth minute and 20 minutes later Paul March wen in off Steve McNamara who added the second conversion, Roberts having tagged on the first.

But the Cougars could have been even closer. Paul Ashton kept them in touch with two penalties, missed an easy third, and went close a couple of times.

Matt Steel looked to be through in the 10th minute only to be stopped inches short. Cougars enjoyed their best spell of pressure as half time approached with Rushforth and Mick Durham being halted by desperate Giants defending.

The second half saw Roberts take control. He started by putting Reilly over for his second in the 45th minute and put the full back over again only to see him spill the ball. Reilly returned the favour by putting Roberts over before he used his size and power to complete his hat-trick against a tiring Cougar defence

Tomlinson sparked them back into life with his break to set up the try of the game and Ashton just missed completing a razor sharp move from Rushforth and Matty Firth. As the clock ticked down he chased his own kick ahead only to be foiled by Reilly.

Another try would have been no more that Cougars deserved in a game which was far better than anyone had dared hope.