Seven defeats from nine matches in SSE Yorkshire Division One does not make for good reading if you are connected with Keighley Rugby Union Club - particularly as they were relegated last season.

And the Rose Cottage’s director of rugby Graeme Sheffield is not mincing his words after their 20-16 setback at Bridlington on Saturday, with the hosts a place below Keighley in second from bottom.

He said: “We need to take a long hard look at ourselves.

“We haven’t won away from home this season and this was an eminently winnable match.

“Bridlington are not a good side but they were better than us on the day.

“The effort is there, as always, but we need to be more physical.”

Sheffield added: “We have lost key players in Ollie Sugden (retired), player of the year Harry Titley (moved away) and Bob Clarke (working), as well as Scott Dyson (injured) but I would put my mortgage on us not going down.”

With Acklam cast adrift on two points, Keighley are currently third from bottom on 11 points, and are only out of the relegation places on points difference.

Sheffield said: “Bridlington scored three tries to one, and we only got our try in the last seconds of the game - there wasn’t even time to kick off afterwards.

“We played very well against the wind in the first half but whether it was down to poor planning or poor execution, we lost our way in the second half.

“I wasn’t at York on October 19, where we lost 34-16, but I understand it was a similar game to that.

“We got six points within seven minutes of starting the second half at Bridlington, and you would have put your house on us winning with the wind in our favour.

“But we missed two kicks to touch, kicked the ball out on the full a couple of times and kicked it dead a few times, and this after our pack had done very well in the first half.”

Sheffield added: “Now we have a tough run of fixtures. We have Dinnington at home on Saturday, and they have just beaten the leaders Wath 24-17.

“Then we are at North Ribblesdale on November 23, we have new leaders Doncaster Phoenix at home on November 30 and second-placed Wath away on December 7.”

Keighley are missing Will Armitage, Tom Lowther, tight-head prop Matt Hagyard and Dyson due to injuries but welcome back scrum half Ian Woodwiss and winger Sam Walker.

Keighley (home to Dinnington) from: A Brown; S Walker, M Ferrazzano, B Blackwell, A Horsfall; D McGee, R Wilkinson, I Woodwiss, C Spencer, C Dyson, C Morris, L Sugden, J Walker, S Minikin, T Lowther, S Inman, S Brown, P Sinfield, D Iliff.