Gateshead Thunder 32, Keighley Cougars 12

Frustrated boss Barry Eaton is questioning whether some of his players have what it takes to make it with the Cougars.

They crumbled to a disappointing loss at Gateshead today - a game Keighley had targeted for a potential three points, having already defeated their hosts twice this season.

But they fell away meekly, never recovering from an 18-0 half-time deficit and leaving Eaton with plenty of unanswered questions as he headed back down the Al tonight.

The player-coach was again at odds with the officials whose errors cost them victory over London Skolars last Sunday.

But Eaton can't find many more excuses as his under-performing side look to add to their solitary National League Two win of the season.

"We went up there expecting to win but we contributed to our own downfall," he said.

"We did feel aggrieved by some decisions that went to Gateshead but that's not the only problem.

"There comes a point where the majority of players here have had ample opportunity to show they are capable at National League Two level but they keep making fundamental errors.

"We keep giving teams tries they're not earning and there comes a stage when you have to think one or two players might not be up to it.

"Either that or they're happy at playing at the lower end of this competition.

"We want to push on further than that. We don't want to be scrapping at the bottom with the likes of Blackpool, Gateshead and London. We want to be hanging on to the tails of those in the play-offs.

"I know we're a long way off being a play-off team but with the right application and right commitment, we have players capable of being that.

"I have to ask whether they're not pushing themselves enough. One or two aren't and they might find themselves dropping out."

Mick Fogerty and Richard Knight grabbed tries before the hour mark, both converted by Eaton, to give the Cougars hope of a comeback.

But he said: "We were 18-0 down at half-time and always chasing the game.

"We did well to get back to 18-12 but lost our composure again and ended up taking more risks to get back into it. That ended in errors."

Although Eaton welcomed back Sam Gardner and Wayne Sutcliffe from injury and illness, preparations were hampered when Mike Hastings and Brendan Rawlins both pulled out late on.

Centre Hastings has been told by a specialist he needs shoulder surgery while it emerged Aussie prop Brendan Rawlins has been playing with a broken jaw.

"He thought it was tooth ache but a dentist couldn't find anything wrong and an X-ray showed he had two fractures in his jaw," explained Eaton.

"Hopefully he won't need any plates or screws and the healing process might have started already but he'll find out more on Tuesday.

"It's a real kick in the teeth as he's been a form player in the last three or four weeks.

"We hoped Mike might be all right until the end of the season but it looks like he can't put surgery off any longer.

"Luke Sutton has also been sick. He played yesterday but wasn't 100 per cent."