Oldham 38, Keighley Cougars 4: Three Oldham area amateurs turned out for the beleaguered Cougars at Boundary Park last night as the Keighley cash crisis took a turn for the worse.

Saddleworth Rangers full back Gareth Davies and Oldham St Annes forwards Martin Taylor and Jason Best - twin brother of the Cougars' David Best - signed trial forms shortly before kick-off.

Their registrations were faxed through to Rugby League headquarters from the Boundary Park office.

Davies played at full back - and scored the Cougars' only try after a clever overhead pass from winger Gareth Hobson in the 30th minute - while Taylor and Jason Best occupied places on the bench.

Skippered by Jason Ramshaw, who played valiantly at scrum half, Cougars fielded a side mainly made up of Alliance players.

Coach Steve Deakin, who sent out his patched up side with orders to at least play with pride, said before kick-off: "All those who are not playing are injured. They have reported injuries to the medical staff."

Deakin, whose own contract has been reduced to part-time while his players have been offered reduced terms for the rest of the season as a result of the latest financial crisis to rock the club, could be proud of his makeshift side's efforts, however.

But these are troubles times for the club.

The loss of backer Hami Patel's annual £250,000 cash injection, is already bighting hard.

Before kick-off, and again at half-time, Keighley fans were urged in a message over the public address system to attend a meeting in the Cougar Park social club tomorrow "to discuss the future of the club."

Three coachloads of fans, and many more in cars, gave the limping Cougars terrific vocal support from start to finish.

And the lads who played did so with an honesty and a commitment that did the club proud.

Oldham, who went second in the table on the strength of this win, led only 14-4 at half-time, and did not extend that lead until the 55th minute.

Deakin said: "The score at 55 minutes reflected the balance of play. We played with guts and determination, and I couldn't ask for anything more.

"We had a couple of chances early in the second half to cut the deficit. We couldn't take them, but the lads did everything I could have expected from them.

"I have nothing more to say at this stage about the overall state of things."

Ramshaw, sin-binned for dissent in the first half, battled bravely against the odds and received solid support from centre Gareth Hoo-son, stand-off Mark Holker, hooker Liam Walsh and loose forward Carlos Sanchez.

The penetrative running from full back of the exciting Gavin Dodd, a former Academy player at Odsal, kept Oldham going forward.

They scored tries by hooker Keith Brennan (2), centre Anthony Gib-bons (2), Dodd and loose forward Kevin Mannion, with Pat Rich adding seven goals.

In the build-up to Davies's try for Keighley, Hobson collected a high cross-kick near the corner flag to put the supporting full back in with a cute pass over his head.