KEIGHLEY Cougars saw a slow start to the second half cost them yesterday, as they lost 24-10 at Rochdale Hornets in the Betfred Championship.
After a tense first 40 minutes with some excellent defending from both sides, the visitors held a 4-0 lead at the interval.
But three converted tries in the opening 13 minutes of the second half put Rochdale in cruise control, with no way back from there.
It means Ian Hardman’s side have lost two of their first three league games this season, but they have shown some good signs, while they are also one of only three Championship sides to have made the Betfred Challenge Cup fourth round.
The highlight of the opening 15 minutes yesterday was a fine 40/20 from Rochdale’s Jamie Dallimore.
But the first big scoring chances went Keighley’s way, as they were kept out twice in quick succession by some excellent goal-line defence.
Rochdale have just secured the marquee signing of Jack Hansen following Halifax Panthers’ demise, and the half back almost put Dan Nixon in to score with a well-executed kick to the corner.
But scrambling defence from Cougars pushed the ball out for a goal-line dropout, while they were forced to concede another on the half-hour mark.
Keighley survived both of those and instead took the lead after 38 minutes.
There was a degree of luck to the try, as a kick to the corner bounced kindly off a Cougars head and stayed in play.
Castleford loanee George Hill gleefully picked up the scraps and crossed the whitewash, but Matty Beharrell’s missed conversion meant Keighley only led 4-0 at the break.
And Rochdale came out firing at the start of the second half, scoring their first try just a minute after the restart.
It came courtesy of former Cougars prop Lewis Hatton, who powered his way through to score beneath the sticks, Dallimore’s easy conversion putting the hosts ahead.
Powerful centre Tom Ashton quickly extended the Hornets’ lead, muscling his way over in the corner.
Dallimore added the tricky extras to put his side 12-4 in front, while he was soon back at the kicking tee again.
Exciting young winger TJ Boyd got over out wide for Rochdale, with Dallimore’s second successive touchline conversion success put the home side on easy street.
Good defence from the visitors kept out winger Nixon after Dallimore had clipped a kick to the corner.
But on the opposite side, Boyd slid in to score his second with 12 minutes to go, Dallimore’s conversion putting the game to bed once and for all.
Keighley had had the first word and they got the last one too.
Dylan Proud got in for a late try, with Beharrell’s conversion at least taking Cougars into double figures.
There were other positives for Cougars to take from this away defeat, with Castleford loanees Hill and Alfie Salmon making their league debuts for the club, the latter having only signed for the club on Friday night.
Salmon played more of the game than expected too, the youngster coming on in the first half after loose forward Aaron Brown came off with a knock.
After the Rochdale game, Hardman said: “I’m a bit disappointed.
“I thought the first half was a good contest and I liked a lot of what we were doing.
“There were a few opportunities we didn’t quite nail, but overall, I thought our game was in a decent place.
“But after that we just missed the jump, and credit to Rochdale, they overwhelmed us physically at the beginning of that second half.
“We went without the ball for a long period of time and ultimately that’s what cost us.”
Cougars are back in league action this coming Sunday at home to Whitehaven, while they have been given an away tie at London Broncos or Barrow Raiders in the first round of the 1895 Cup.
London and Barrow will play their preliminary round tie next month, with the winner to host Keighley on the weekend of April 18-19.
Keighley Cougars beaten 24-10 away to Rochdale Hornets | Bradford Telegraph and Argus
