Widnes 18, Cougars 30 - MARTIN WOOD side-stepped his way to 100 tries for the Cougars and set his team set up for a race into the top four of the Northern Ford Premiership.

Wood, who is on an all-time high, scored 14 points at the Auto Quest Stadium with five goals and two sparkling tries. His century had come in two spells at the club, punctuated by a spell with Sheffield Eagles in the Super League.

The victory extended Keighley's winning run to five games and left them poised for a dash into the top group. They leapfrogged over Widnes in the table with 20 points, only three behind leaders Hull KR and -- with a game in hand.

Now the team has to make certain they do not let their concentration slip in the next three matches against Barrow, Hunslet and York. They should provide a bumper six-point Easter bonus for Karl Harrison.

But victory against Widnes was vital if they were to build on the impressive performances of the previous weeks. This time they secured a solid victory without really hitting top form. They were never in trouble but also failed to produce the flowing rugby which has been a hallmark of recent games.

Cougars still had the skill and power to outscore Widnes five tries to four. The only worry was that they didn't really clinch victory until Ian Hughes touched down in the dying seconds.

Former Cougar favourite Lee Hansen had saved his best for his former team mates, and along with Tsene Faimalo took the early forward battle to the Keighley pack. But Keighley had the answer, throwing the ball out wide to give their flying wing men a chance.

Martin Wood send Hanger on a 60-metre run down the left only to see his inside pass, and Jason Lee, go to ground.

Their next attack paid off. Wood was there again to release Ian Hughes who returned a perfectly weighted pass and he powered 20 metres through a shoddy Widnes defence to clock up 99 tries for the club.

Widnes gradually got themselves back into the game and looked like finishing the half on top. Liam Jones grabbed their first try in the 19th minute after another Cougar Old Boy, Phil Cantillon, had been held down on the fifth tackle. It was a costly error and three plays later Jones scrambled in at the corner.

He grabbed his second in the 33rd minute but not before Widnes were reduced to 12 men following a brawl on the halfway line. Richard Smith was hit by a high tackle from Afi Leuila and as the Cougar pack moved in to show their displeasure Karl Fitzpatrick flew in with a right hook to Alan Boothroyd.

Once things had calmed down referee John Connolly had no choice but to dismiss Fitzpatrick and put the rest on report.

The dismissal inspired Widnes and a second extended spell of pressure paid off with Jones scrambling in again at the corner. His try made the score 8-6 to Widnes and it looked like staying that way but Woody had other ideas. As the clock ticked down to half time his innocuous grubber kick bounced off the Widnes post and bobbled around. Wood was the first to pounce and his conversion gave the Cougars a 12-8 lead.

Keighley started the second half where they had left off in the first. Wood found Hughes out wide and he cut back inside to find the irrepressible Danny Seal in support. He powered in under the posts and Wood's easy conversion made it 18-8.

When they should have been going in for the kill Cougars conceded two penalties which let the Vikings off the hook.

Andy Cheetham ran across the defensive line and was able to pick up Damien Munro with ease - too much ease - and the full back ghosted in untouched. Jones added his only conversion of the afternoon and the Merseyside club were back in it at 18-14.

Cougar fans need not have worried, their team were doing just enough. Yet again they went 10 points clear when a slick flicked pass from Matt Walker send Dean Hanger clear, he found Nathan Antonik who dived over. Wood converted and with an hour gone the Cougars looked safe.

Widnes did manage another try - Cheetham went in at the corner after Keighley had put in 13 tackles on the trot. But with seven minutes left and the score 24-18 the Cougars never really looked like losing this game.

They went back up the other end to make sure of the points when Hughes powered through a weary Widnes defence. Wood made it five out of five kicks and the Cougars made it five out of five wins.

Danny Seal was superb all afternoon, on attack and defence he played Cantillon off the park and should be signed permanently immediately. Hughes again impressed as Woody's left hand man and as for Wood, he was again, well, just inspirational.

The big boys came out honours even up front by Alan Boothroyd continues to impress except for the incident 10 minutes from time when he tried to put Karl Smith in only to end up giving a penalty away for crossing. Not only did he cough up a certain try that would have put Widnes away.

Widnes: Munro, Jones, Percival, Leuila, Cheetham; Mansson, Fitzpatrick, Faimalo, Cantillon, Hansen, Hodgkinson, Hill, Hulme: Subs: Birdseye, Smith, Long, O'Neill.

Cougars: Hanger; Horne, K Smith, R Smith, Lee; Pickles, Antonik; Hall, Seal, Boothroyd, Harrison, Hughes, Wood. Subs: Owen, Walker, Stephenson, Thompson.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.