Black inspires Bulldogs revival to shock Keighley

BATLEY Bulldogs broke Keighley Cougars’ hearts as Ben Black orchestrated a magnificent comeback for John Kear’s men.

The visitors were 10-4 down at the break, and with under half an hour left had a 12-point deficit after hooker James Feather got a try out of dummy half.

Black then started to turn on the magic, though, as the former Halifax scrum-half’s play precipitated four Batley tries.

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This result leaves Keighley with a difficult test to qualify for the knockout rounds of the cup competition as they now have to win all their remaining games to be certain of a place in the finals.

Keighley coach Jason Demetriou blamed himself for the defeat, but saw some positive signs from his team, who face a tough trip to Toulouse next week.

He said: “We were disappointed with how we played in the last 25 minutes because we just switched off.

“Credit to Batley, though, they did really well to come back but I think I got things a bit wrong because we were pretty weak up the middle.

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“We’ve now got to regroup and prepare for a tough trip to Toulouse next weekend and we’ve got to get the win if we’re going to progress out of our group into the knockout stages”

Batley should now only have to win two of their remaining games to qualify for the finals.

Bulldogs coach Kear did not want to single anyone out and was delighted how his side fought back against the Cougars.

“I thought that we showed fantastic resolve to come back from such a large deficit,” said Kear.

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He added: “I don’t want to pick any individual player out, but to show that spirit and determination against a very good side shows just how good we are.

“Not many sides will come to Cougar Park this season and come away with a victory.

“We now only have to win two of our next group games to progress to the knockout stage.

“Hopefully one of those wins will come at home against London at Mount Pleasant next week.”

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Tom Henderson was the first to score as he re-gathered a spilled ball by Jason Walton to go in untouched.

Keighley hit back straight from the kick-off as Batley knocked on and from the next set, half-back pairing Sam Obst and Danny Jones combined to put Demetriou over. Jones converted to give Cougars the lead.

Jones then set up the home side’s second as his neat ball got Richie Barnett on the scoresheet, although he failed to add the difficult goal. The game then saw a period of dominance from the Cougars, as their forwards laid a great platform, with Michael Korkidas leading from the front.

Despite dominating territorially, Keighley failed to capitalise fully, with Demetriou’s neat grubber, which Barnett almost pounced on, the closest they came to extending their lead.

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The Cougars started the second half as they ended the first, and seven minutes in, extended their lead through Feather’s try, with Danny Jones converting.

The Ben Black show was about to begin though, as he put Gareth Potts through a gap and in turn Potts played in Johnny Walker for a score.

Black then set up another break downfield and on the next play the ball, helped set up Danny Maun’s try.

The Bulldogs’ momentum then could not be stopped, as Black got Mark Applegarth over the line, with Gareth Moore’s pressure conversion giving them the lead.

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Gareth Potts then touched down in the corner to end a classic contest.

Keighley Cougars: Moss, Duffy, Parata, Tadulala, Barnett, D. Jones, Obst, Shickell, Feather, Korkidas, R. Jones, Demetriou, Coleman. Substitutes: Wray, March, Rawlins, Cherryholme.

Batley Bulldogs: Campbell, Potts, Walton, Maun, Mills, Black, Henderson, Smith, Mennell, Potter, Bretherton, Walker, Lythe. Substitutes: Moore, Walmsley, Applegarth, Lindsey.

Referee: G Hewer (Whitehaven).

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