Keighley Squad
Harvey Bird
Lennon Curr
Bobby Darbyshire
James Field
Harry Gould
Will Halliday
Leon Hobson-Sheriff
Ethan Lawrie
Nico Mori
Joss McArthur
Jack McHugh
Joseph Myers
Nathan Pickles
Thomas Richardson
Jack Rodbourne
Freddie Seavers
Zachary Scott
Daniel Smillie
Luis Spragg
Keir Welch
Aaron Wilson

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Stormy Sundays

With the weather bearing its teeth the Keighley squad started slowly in the first of the tri-way fixtures. However with a larger, stronger and possibly more mobile pack than Yarnbury they soon had their noses in front when two good phases from a scrum won against the head enabled Jack Rodbourne to power over in the corner. Lennon Curr adding the extra 2 points.
Yarnbury 0 – Keighley 7

The advantage was quickly doubled when a great run with a familiar show ‘n’ go from Will Halliday allowed the ball to break cross-field for Curr to sprint to the left corner again. 2 points added for the conversion.
Yarnbury 0 – Keighley 14

Keighley began to dominate in all departments and even when Yarnbury forced an opening on their right on the attack, superb vision from Bobby Darbyshire saw the diminutive full back intercept a popped pass to the Yarnbury wing and scamper a full ¾ of the pitch to touch down again in the left corner with 3 Yarnbury players trailing in his wake. Conversion made once more by Curr.
Yarnbury 0 – Keighley 21

Keighley’s rucking power was beginning to tell and their forwards were closing down every Yarnbury move. Harvey Bird in the maul was imperious and Leon Hobson-Sheriff’s pressure and vision paid dividends when the ball broke from another Keighley drive gifting him the chance to touch down between the posts. Conversion duly knocked over by Curr.
Yarnbury 0 – Keighley 28 – Half Time

Yarnbury pushed forward from the re-start and began to pressure the Keighley defence and a series of handling errors caused by a mud caked ball allowed Yarnbury to push forward exploiting the gaps left by out of line defence leaving James Field and Aaron Wilson on the right with insufficient cover to deal with 5 on 2. The conversion points duly added.
Yarnbury 7 – Keighley 28

Keighley’s response was quick and methodical with two quick phases of play having overturned the ball straight from the re-start debutant, Nico Mori charging down the intended clearance kick and Harry Gould stealing from the maul to touch down in the centre. Curr extending his points tally with the conversion.
Yarnbury 7 – Keighley 35

Yarnbury were not to be overawed and after Joe Myers blitzed into a maul, the ball popped fortuitously to the Yarnbury attack, which was then held on the line by resilient Keighley defence from Freddie Seavers and Zac Scott the ball eventually being grounded in the far corner by Yarnbury for the try. Duly converted.
Yarnbury 14 – Keighley 35

With time running out but the game already won, Dan Smillie and Louis Spragg were introduced to add variety to Keighley’s options and with Joss McArthur leading the pack, Keighley once more made distance and a long cross–field ball from Curr to the ever eager Tom Richardson along the line, eventually going to ground on the 5 yard line saw the ball break for Will Halliday to add another try to Keighley’s tally. Curr completing the scoring.

Yarnbury battened down the hatches and defended the last 5 minutes admirably, reposting wave after wave of Keighley attacks but spurned opportunities and poor decision making from the Keighley backs with clear options on the outside resulted in no further score.
Yarnbury 14 – Keighley 42 – Full Time
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It’s been two full years since Keighley and YMCA locked horns in a full “friendly” game, and both were keen to gain the upper hand.

Despite the atrocious cold, wet and windy conditions Keighley seemed to cope better than their YM opponents and straight from the start they made an impact when Curr’s long kick was mishandled by the YM defensive line and they failed to clear. The ensuing maul saw Rodbourne once more at his predatory best and he snaffled the ball to touch down in the corner under pressure. Curr again playing his part by adding the extra 2 points.
YMCA 0 – Keighley 7

Keighley’s powerful forward line of Bird, McArthur, Rodbourne ably assisted by second row of Ethan Lawrie and Hobson-Sheriff were beginning to dominate and Rodbourne’s instincts once more came to the fore when a YM lineout was conceded and he crashed through a static YM defence to double his game tally. Try converted once more by Curr.
YMCA 0 – Keighley 14

Tackling was the grand order of the day with Lawrie and Joe Myers leading from the front and Keir Welch once more at his best, bossing the scrums and Keighley’s defence once more held strong until the last play of the 1st half when once more, they were caught with lack of numbers allowing YM to touch down in the left corner.
YMCA 7 – Keighley 14 – Half Time

With the game evenly balanced but with the Keighley pack dominating at the breakdown, the second half started with no quarter given from either side.
With plays and steals swopped with increasing regularity due to the difficult conditions and slippery ball, both sides battled hard but once again, Keighley’s resilience came to the fore. With less than 2 minutes to play with Keighley camped on the YM touchline it was only a matter of time before Rodbourne once more stole from the maul to touch down under pressure. Curr completed proceedings with the final kick of the game.
YMCA 7 – Keighley 21 – Full Time

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Coaches Comments

We played the atrocious conditions better than both Yarnbury and YMCA did today. It wasn’t really a day for our quick backs as most play was concentrated in the centre of the park where our pack strength invariably told. We competed well in the lineout and dominated most of the scrums for a large part of the game and we always had an answer to their attacking play with some aggressive tackling. Good preparation for next weeks’ visit to Bradford & Bingley Bees where we need to be on our game.
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Keighley Trophy Winners

Backs - Tom Richardson.

Forwards - Jack Rodbourne.

Parents Player - Jack Rodbourne

Coaches Player - Ethan Lawrie

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GMF - 27/11/12

Match details

Match date

Sun 25 Nov 2012

Kickoff

11:00

Team overview