Blackpool Panthers 10 Keighley Cougars 26

At last, Keighley Cougars have won an away match in Co-operative National League Two, albeit at rock-bottom Blackpool Panthers.

Their triumph on a sodden pitch at Fylde Rugby Union Football Club was their first on their travels since the fourth round of the 2005 season when they were 28-4 victors at Sheffield Eagles.

That adds up to a losing run of 23 matches, and it was no wonder that Cougars' player-coach Barry Eaton said: "We've broken an important pychological barrier."

What pleased him most was their start to each half. He said: "We've often been guilty of starting matches slowly, and particularly at the start of the second half.

"But yesterday we were good in both of those areas and didn't concede any points until the match was over an hour old.

"Conditions were difficult - appalling even - with standing water on the pitch at the start of the match.

"But it was great that there were a couple of hundred Cougar fans who had made their way over and were able to see us finally win away from home."

Tries by Craig Fawcett and Gavin Duffy and a two-pointer by Richard Knight gave Cougars a 10-0 advantage inside the first 20 minutes, and that was the margin at half-time too.

Then the visitors put the game to bed early in the second half with tries by Duffy, Ryan Smith and Brian Sutton, Knight adding two more goals.

Eaton added: "It's great to be disappointed when you are leading 26-4 and concede a try right on the hooter.

"Gavin Duffy was probably my man of the match. We have asked him to do different things in bringing the ball out of defence and he achieved them, and I am really pleased for him.

"The performance wasn't as good as the previous week's against Oldham or before that against Workington but it was pretty good."