KEIGHLEY are flying in Yorkshire Two, making it four wins from four after thumping visiting Wath Upon Dearne 35-7 over the weekend.
They were relegated from Yorkshire One at the end of the last completed season, 2019/20, and before the start of this campaign, head coach Dan McGee admitted they would be under pressure as one of the favourites for promotion.
But they are coping with that pressure nicely so far, and blew Wath away at Utley last Saturday.
Powerful Keighley prop Sam Booker proved too hot to handle in the early stages, as he scored two tries in the early stages.
With those efforts sandwiching an Alex Brown penalty, Keighley raced into a 13-0 lead.
Alan Ebbrell added to the home side's tally soon after, before Adam Horsfall crossed the line not long before the break.
Brown converted the last of those two tries to give his side a healthy 25-0 lead at the interval.
But to their credit, a depleted Wath side, suffering from an injury crisis, never gave up, and got themselves on to the scoreboard through captain Sean Hopper, after Keighley had briefly been reduced to 14 men due to a high tackle.
Ben Keen converted Hopper's try to make it 25-7, but that was as good as it got for the visitors.
Back to their full complement, Keighley soon made Wath pay for having the temerity to score.
Jack Atkinson took the home side up to the 30-point mark with a nice try, before the prolific Ebbrell grabbed his second of the afternoon to make it 35-7.
Keighley threatened to increase their lead late on, with a couple of fast breaks, but a determined Wath side put in some desperate cover tackles to prevent any further scores.
That win means Keighley are now second in the table, behind only Northallerton, who are at the summit courtesy of an extra try bonus point.
McGee's side are at mid-table Ripon this Saturday.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here