A real pulsating game at the Crown Oil Arena as Keighley Cougars edged out Rochdale Hornets in a thriller.
The Cougars started on the front foot straight away as young try scoring sensation Billy Walkley crossed for his first of the afternoon, Jack Miller kicked over the extras from out wide.
The Cougars put their foot on the gas then as Junior Sa’u scored on his 300th career appearance in the sport.
The Hornets did find a route back into the game though as the Cougars made an error which helped Luke Forber score in the corner, with Martyn Ridyard adding the two points to make it a six-point ball game.
Keighley then found space on the left edge and Sa’u went over for his second of the game.
Rochdale hit back a few sets later though as Forber got his second after a brisk move from the Hornets.
The Cougars were then rewarded a set restart which the skipper Ellis Robson capitalised on, and with Miller converting the score was 12-24 to Keighley.
The try scoring wasn’t over in the first half though as Walkley grabbed a brace on the hooter, it gave the Cougars an 18-point buffer going into the interval.
Not long into the second half and the milestone man Sa’u got his hat-trick with a beautiful flowing move from the Cougars.
The Hornets got back into the game as Forber also scored his third of the game, Ridyard converted the try to make the score 18-36 to Keighley.
Rochdale were buoyant after that and scored again in the next set through Jonny Openshaw after a break on the right edge.
The Hornets kept attacking and found a way through when Myles Harrop scored near the touchline, and Ridyard kicked the conversion to bring Rochdale within a try.
After a tense final 10 minutes Rochdale pushed the ball around, only for Dan Parker to intercept and run 50 meters before giving the ball to Adam Ryder to score and seal the victory for Keighley.
After Keighley’s 42-30 triumph attentions now turn to Cougar Park next Sunday as the side take on Hunslet.
By Harvey Redmonds
