CARDIFF students have warned Keighley not to expect an easy ride in Sunday's 'Battle of the Cougars' Silk Cut Challenge Cup clash -- and Karl Harrison has told his players he wants a big improvement.

"They let themselves down badly last week, but we are no going back to the bad old days -- I won't allow it," he declared.

There will be changes to the team with Paul Owen being rewarded for his second half performance with a start at full back. Michael Slicker will also start after a number of impressive performances from the bench.

"Sunday's game was a poor performance, it really was.

"We have trained well, had good team talks before the game. We have warmed up well and the atmosphere in the changing rooms has been good, but then we have been terrible at the most important time -- during the game."

There was plenty of straight talking at a team meeting early this week, and Karl Harrison has called for a morale boosting win.

"We need to get back on track before our next three league games against Dewsbury, Doncaster and Leigh. They are all expected to be among the top clubs at the end of the season, and we want to be there with them," he said.

But the Cardiff team is determined to give Keighley a run for their money. It includes past and present students from the University of Wales Institute in Cardiff, has a strong record in student rugby league and regard Cougar Park as their second home. They have twice played on the ground in University Cup Finals.

"We named the team 'Cardiff Cougars' because we have done so well at Keighley, and have always had a super time at Cougar Park. The only trouble is that we have never been in the away dressing room before, we have always had the Keighley changing room and regard playing at Cougar Park almost as a home fixture," said club spokesman Stuart Stanton.

The Cardiff team gained entry to the Challenge Cup as representatives of the Welsh Rugby League and sprung their first surprise on Rochdale Mayfield, the National Conference team which made it through to a meeting with Keighley Cougars at the same stage of the competition last year.

They also came close to causing an upset last weekend when they travelled to Humberside in the BNFL National Cup. They were within two points of East Hull at 10-8, before two second half penalties secured a 14-8 win for the Humberside club.

The Cardiff Institute has strong links with Welsh national rugby union. They also have some useful players including Stuart Singleton who was due to play with Gateshead Thunder in the Super League last season, but suffered a knee injury in pre-season training which kept him out of the game. He will be playing at loose forward and is keen to impress and return to the professional game. Also in the pack will be Joe Davies who played for Bramley a number of times last season.

"Around them are a bunch of very solid forwards including three Great Britain Student Internationals," Stuart Stanton said.

The backs include 18-year-old Neal Davies who captained the Student Selection XIII. Scott O'Kelly is captain and scrum-half while Ian McIntyre played at Keighley fagainst South Africa in the Student World Cup and brought the house down with a 90-metre try.

n Sunday's game is all-pay with normal prices of £7 for adults and £4 for OAP's and children. Season tickets do not cover Challenge Cup games.

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