Rugby League: Hunslet Hawks 18, Keighley Cougars 12.

Sloppy handling errors cost Keighley Cougars dear as they slipped to defeat in their final pre-season friendly at a bitterly cold South Leeds Stadium.

Cougars and Hunslet are two of the pre-season favourites for the First Division title but they will have to improve a lot if they are to justify that billing.

David Larder and Jason Laurence grabbed a try apiece for Lee Crooks' side but despite having several chances to snatch what would have been a vital try, they could not apply the finishing touch when required.

The result, however, is not too important in these friendly games although both Crooks and Hawks coach David Plange will have been unhappy with the amount of basic errors made by their players.

On far too many occasions, Cougars looked set to apply some pressure to the home defence only for a wild pass or poor handling leading to the move break down.

Despite this, there were encouraging signs for a large Keighley following with Chris Robinson looking lively at hooker in place of the unavailable Jason Ramshaw.

Larder also looked sharp on his return after missing last week's 20-20 draw with Leigh through flu while Andrew Schick and prop Steve Campbell also got through a tremendous amount of work.

Cougars took the lead in the 18th minute when Matt Foster joined the attacking line late before throwing a fine pass inside for Larder to cross.

However this lead lasted just 11 minutes when the outstanding Richard Pachniuk sneaked over from a play the ball near the Cougars line.

Cougars, however, did not learn from this lapse in concentration as the same player grabbed his second try in an almost identical manner just four minutes later.

That gave the Hawks a 12-6 half-time lead which they extended 15 minutes after the break when Rob D'Arcy crossed on the left, Chris Ross kicking his third goal.

Cougars then battled hard to get back into the game and Jason Laurence rounded off a fine move with 12 minutes remaining only for poor handling in the closing stages to prevent them earning their second successive draw.

Hunslet: Fatnowna; Higgins, Irwin, D'Arcy, Baker; Allen, Ross; Hayes, Pachniuk, Walker, Wilson, Richards, St Hilaire. Subs: Plange, Coyle, Green, Pryce, North, Moore.

Keighley: Foster; Smith, Rich, Laurence, Lee; Tyrer, Antonik; Hall, Robinson, S Campbell, Schick, M Campbell, Larder. Subs: Owen, Wainwright, Baines, Hartley.

Scorers: Tries - Larder, Laurence. Goals - Antonik two (from two)

Referee: Colin Morris (Huddersfield)

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