Sheffield get the better of Keighley

A bad-tempered match saw the teams share 22 penalties. The Eagles lost their way in a second half which saw the only points scored by Keighley eight minutes from time.

Keighley went behind in the opening minutes when, after putting the ball dead from the kick-off, they conceded a couple of penalties. Sheffield took advantage with Quentin Laulu-Togagae taking a short pass for a try. Simon Brown added the goal.

Gavin Duffy was held up over the line for the Cougars who were hit by two tries in an eight-minute spell. Winger Vinny Finigan took a high cross-field kick by Brown to go over in the corner and Laulu-Tagagae picked up a loose pass to race 80 metres for his second try. Brown kicked the first goal but his second hit an upright.

Keighley struggled to get into the game and Eagles led 16-0 at half-time.

The second half was a dour affair with neither team able to take control.

A scuffle around the ruck saw Keighley’s hooker Paul March sent to the sin bin on 62 minutes.

The game desperately needed a try but it did not arrive until 72 minutes when Cougars’ substitute hooker Jermaine Wray went in from dummy half between the posts. Danny Lawton added the goal to gave Keighley a bonus point.

Sheffield: Laulu-Togagae; Finigan, Turner, Taulapapa, Morrison; Brown, Brambani; Howieson, Henderson, Stringer, Knowles, Scott. Szostak. Substitutes: Green, Davey, Scott, Hepworth, Higgins.

Keighley: Moss; Duffy, Barnett, Lawton, Tadulala; Jones, Obst; Sheriffe, March, Cherryholme, Demetriou, Shepherd, Hatthornewaite. Substitutes: Wray, Pursglove, Korkidas, Shickell.

Referee: Matt Thomason.