Steve Deakin today dismissed the troubles hanging over Keighley Cougars and declared 'This has been an outstanding year for us'.

The Cougars saw their topsy-turvy Northern Ford Premiership campaign finish with a gutsy 28-24 play-off defeat at Featherstone on Sunday.

They now face uncertain weeks ahead while talks with Bradford Council continue to keep the cash-hit club afloat.

But coach Deakin refused to be downhearted as he surveyed a season which had begun with six straights wins and ended in financial turmoil.

He said: "We made the play-offs and the Trans-Pennine Cup final, and the reserve grade have reached their preliminary final so it's been a very good year.

"Obviously we have had to make a lot of changes through circumstances beyond our control.

"It's not an ideal world, but I wouldn't say it's been really tough.

"Had we been able to keep all the players we started with, then I've no doubt we would have won the grand final.

"It wasn't to be, but to lose half a team like we did was no tragedy.

"I'm pretty philosophical about these sort of things and it gave others a chance to show what they can do.

"As a coach, all you want to do is work with a team and improve them as both players and people. We've certainly done that this season.

"We had nine under-21s at Featherstone on Sunday and they have come on massively in the last couple of months.

"They got put into a pressure situation and their response was terrific."

Two late tries got Cougars within four points of a shock win at Lionheart Stadium, and Deakin said: "We gave it our best shot. You couldn't have asked for more.

"I got a couple of reports that we had about four minutes left and told the players to create a last-play kick.

"Unfortunately it was only about a minute and we didn't have the time.

"We lacked a bit of ball control in the first half and paid for that.

"But we came back strongly and gave our magnificent fans something to cheer.

"I'm an Oldham person through and through and they are a real rugby-mad town.

"But you'll have to go a long way to see better support than Keigh-ley."

lCougars A face Leigh at Hilton Park on Thursday in the Alliance League final eliminator (7.30).