Keighley 2nd XV 32

North Ribblesdale 2nd XV 10

Keighley's second string only saw their game go ahead after some hard work by the ground staff to clear snow off the pitch.

The Keighley side had more than a smattering of younger players available due to the holidays, and as Ribblesdale's first team game was cancelled they decided to give one or two of their senior players a game with their second string.

In the first half Keighley were under pressure in the scrums, an area where Keighley have been dominant over the last few weeks. To compensate, they more than made up with the speed around the field.

When Tom Rock, who was dangerous all afternoon, broke through the middle his team-mate from Bingley Grammar School John Gibson was on hand to finish off the move, scoring under the posts. Chris Meehan added on the extra points.

Keighley had to defend for at least 10 minutes as they could not get the ball from the Dalesmen who are adept at keeping the ball tight. Ribblesdale closed the gap when a penalty was kicked.

Keighley came back and Meehan cancelled out this penalty with a well-struck kick of his own. Good forward play saw Keighley score again. Peter Schofield made a good break to feed Paul Salmon and with 30 yards to go he showed he can side step with the best, despite being a big man, and went round the fullback to score under the posts. Meehan tagged on the two extra points.

At half time Keighley brought on Martin Whitcombe to add weight and experience to the scrum, Salmon moved into the second row and Lazenby switched to the backrow which stabilised the Keighley scrummaging.

Chris Meehan was moving the ball well whenever he was given the chance and both centres Lockwood and Rock were causing problems. Meehan was unlucky not to score when he looped around Lockwood only to be held short of the line.

The scoring was opened up in the second half by Ian Woodwiss who had been lively all afternoon when he chipped over the Ribblesdale defence, following up his kick, the ball bounced back into his arms giving him a run of 40 yards to score wide out. Meehan's kick drifted wide of the posts.

Meehan was soon in the action again on a loop move he used Rick Emmott on the wing as a foil to beat three of the opposition to score a good try. His conversion kick fell just under the posts.

Keighley had to defend for 10 minutes as they held out against at least ten penalties on their line. The stranglehold was broken when Tom Rock caught his opposition centre and drove him back 20 yards, his team-mates took up the mantle and eventually were awarded a scrum 35 yards away from the try line they had been defending.

This seemed to knock the stuffing out of Ribblesdale, and from the next scrum Keighley won the ball against the head. Schofield broke blind and when the ball was moved to Nigel Curr his blistering pace was too much for the defence, and he scored in the corner.

The referee decided that the pitch was becoming dangerous as the ground becoming hard from the frost. Keighley came off the field with their eighth win in a row.