Castleford Panthers 16, Keighley Albion 16 - Albion travelled to Castleford looking for their second double of the season, against a team that they had nilled in their first encounter at Crossflatts.

The opening encounters were even steven but Albion were first on the scoresheet as Ian Spencer and Gareth Greenbank drove deep into the Panthers 20 metre area and a slick inside pass from John Gwilliam put Rob Bailey in for a try. Dean Brookes pulled the conversion wide of the posts but Albion had 4-0 points lead.

Albion weren't having it all their own way and under pressure dropped the ball in their own 20 metre area. Panthers scrum half Andy Fitzpatrick picked up the ball to go in for a try, the conversion went wide of the posts to leave the scores tied at 4 points all.

On 23 minutes a length of the field move by Albion saw Rob Haughey go 40 metres before passing to Simon Marsden who scored his try wide out, Dean Brookes added the extras to put Albion in front by 4 points to 10.

Not to be outdone Panthers hit back and Albion's scrambling defence held up to tackle the Panthers' player short of the line. The game was a bit frantic and as a result of this Albion's John Gwilliam and Panthers' Darren Sims were sent to the sin bin to cool off.

In the next Panthers attack Albion were again under pressure and in the next play a penalty for holding down in the tackle resulted in Bobby Brown also in the sin bin. Panthers Andy Sims kicked the goal to claw 2 points back to give a score line of 6 points to 10. Both teams had tried to play open football but in a scrappy first half, Ian Spencer , Craig Livock and Craig Morphett were proving a handful as the half time whistle went leaving Albion just in front at 6 points to 10.

Within 4 minutes of the restart Albion increased their lead when prop forward Ian Spencer went over for a try there were no extras as the conversion went wide, but Albions lead had moved on to 6 points to 14.

Minutes later after some good attacking play the Panthers were caught off side and Dean Brookes put Albion further ahead by kicking the penalty making the score 6 points to 16.

Victory now looked a possibility , but this was not to be as Panthers fought back and from a drop out under their own posts that an Albion player touched on the way out of play. From the resulting scrum the Panthers attacked Albion's line and they were caught offside under the posts, Andy Sims made no mistake with his kick to pull 2 points back to give the score of 8 points to 16.

It seemed as if the Panthers had hit a purple patch as they took the game to Albion and following a speculative down field kick Albion could not hold the ball and winger Mark Townend went in for an unconverted try. The Panthers were back in the game at 12 points to 16.

More pressure was brought to bear on Albion's defence when from a scrum centre Scott Davison went in at the corner to level the scores at 16 points apiece.

From the kick off Albion pushed forward and Paul Fryers was held up just short of the line, and in the next set of six Rob Bailey was also held on the line and as the clock ticked down Bobby Browns drop goal attempt also went wide .

Young guns Ben Farrar and Rob Bailey had good strong games in an error strewn game it was a case of a point lost rather than a point won. But at 16 apeice this was all they got. Next Saturday its back to National cup action as Albion entertain old adversaries from the Pennine League, Park Amateurs from Halifax. The game has a 2-00pm kick off at Crossflatts.

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