York City Knights 32 Keighley Cougars 12: Shickell’s Cougars fall short as York earn win

The Knights ran in two tries during a tough first 40 minutes, with Simon Brown and OIlly Pursglove seeing yellow cards produced for fighting after the ball had been lost, resulting in the usual melee of players joining in the fracas.

Earlier defences had effectively neutralised the attacking ambitions of both sides with uncompromising tackling to the fore until George Elliott’s diagonal run across the field to touch down under the posts opened the scoring for York.

With chances for both sides at a premium it was a decisive short pass from Simon Brown for Sam Scott to touch down that gave the Knights a 12-point lead at the break.

Elliott added a second try after Ben Johnston’s superb break from his own 25-metre line released Jack Briscoe to provide the final pass but the Cougars mounted a brief comeback. Andy Shickell returned from the substitutes bench and within a minute stormed through the Knights defence to score.

Minutes later James Haley latched onto a kick from Danny Jones to touch down and Scott Leatherbarrow’s conversions reduced the deficit to only four points.

But York responded as Joe Pickets ploughed over the line from Jack Lee’s pass closely followed by Jack Aldous’s powerful run to touch down with Dougie Flockhart’s interception try seconds before the final hooter providing the icing on the cake.

York: Carr, Elliott, Latus, Briscoe, Flockhart, Brown, Johnston, Freer, Lee, Aldous, Pickett, Hadley, Scott. Substitutes: Presley, Brining, Sullivan, Kent

Keighley: Jones, White, Haley, Cosgrove, Williams, March, Leatherbarrow, Shickell, Feather, Hesketh, Pursglove, Chandler, Rawlins. Substitutes: Parkinson, Sheriffe, Law, Lynham

Referee: G Stokes (St Helens).

Gary Middlehurst scored a brace of tries as North Wales 
Crusaders claimed a 22-20 Kingstone Press Championship 1 comeback victory over Oldham Roughyeds.