KEIGHLEY Cougars were nowhere near their best yesterday, but they remain second in Betfred League 1 on points difference after winning 26-0 at lowly Cornwall.
The visitors had to undergo a mammoth trip to get down to the Memorial Ground, but there was no signs of “coach-lag” when Adam Ryder crossed for a try out wide in the opening minute to put them in front.
Jack Miller’s difficult conversion attempt came back off the crossbar, but Keighley soon got on the scoreboard again, as winger Ben Blackmore crossed for a try on his debut, just weeks after leaving the Bradford Bulls.
Miller was unable to land this conversion either, but he finally found his range when he tagged on the extras to Ryder’s second try, which came on 18 minutes.
Junior Sa’u stretched the away side’s advantage to 18-0 soon after, but Miller’s off day with the boot continued as he missed the subsequent conversion from the kicking tee.
Ben Blackmore, on debut, was one of three different try-scorers for Cougars before the break against Cornwall yesterday. (Image: JT Sports Media.)
Keighley did not score again until 10 minutes after the break, captain Ellis Robson going over following a neat kick through from Miller, who once again failed to tag on the additional two points.
There was some late drama as a heavy tackle on Sa’u brought about an unseemly skirmish between the two sides.
After the scrap had died down, the referee handed yellow cards out to Cornwall’s Aaron Smalls and Keighley’s Alex Bishop.
The Cougars hooker will have to wait and see whether he is handed any kind of suspension over the incident.
Regardless, he will be free to play in Keighley’s next game, which is at another struggling side, Workington Town, this Sunday.
Workington put up a good fight against leaders Oldham yesterday, but eventually fell to a 28-4 defeat.
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