AFTER their heroic performance against Hunslet the new-look Cougars could not break down Whitehaven's well drilled defence.

Spirit wasn't enough despite dominating the game for long periods. they just didn't have the know how to make the vital breakthrough.

But there was no way that the commitment of this team could be doubted. They fought much harder than the team of rugby league 'mercenaries' which travelled to Cumbria just a month earlier. Whitehaven's patient counter-attacking game saw them come up with two tries in the last six minutes to secure a flattering margin of victory.

It could have been very different if two questionable calls for forward passes not stopped Gareth Hooson completing a first half hat-trick. Once Aaron Lester had sent Leroy Joe over with an obvious forward pass for 'Haven's second try in three minutes it was clear it wasn't going to be Keighley's night.

Hooson gave Cougars a great start, pouncing on a Ramshaw cross kick in the fifth minute. After that it was all Keighley, Hooson had two tries disallowed, but the visitors scored two tries in three minutes - both from inside their own half.

After the interval Cougars made desperate attempts to get on terms. Ramshaw lost the ball as he dived over, Paul Ashton threw a wayward forward pass five metres out and Ashton was there again kicking through but the ball would only bounce tantalisingly across the try line. It was a game too far for many of the Cougar kids who looked shattered at the end, but you couldn't fault the effort put in by a totally committed squad.

Cougars: Chris Hogg, Gareth Hobson, Gareth Hooson, karl Smith, Max Tomlinson, Paul Ashton, Jason Ramshaw, Phil Stephenson, John Williams, Chris Hannah, David Best, Kris Kirk, James Simeonovich. Subs (all used): Andy Richardson, Craig Morphet, Carlos Sanchez, Jon Gwilliam.

Whitehaven: Lee Kiddie, Paul O'Neil, Robert Purdham, Ian Devlin, Ryan Campbell, Leroy Joe, Steve Kirkbridge, Mark Cox, Aaron Lester, Dean Vaughan, Spencer Miller, Phil Sherwin, Gary Purdham. Subs (all used): Paul Graham, Darren King, Tony Cunningham, Gary Smith.