Prolific Halifax trample Cougars

High-scoring Halifax have amassed 142 points in their three previous Northern Rail Cup matches.

Limbering up for Tuesday's home leg against the Cougars by taking on the NRL champions from Melbourne, Halifax weathered the storm, taking the lead, before finally bowing out to Aussies 26-10 on Friday night.

Missing their vice captain, Dave Larder, a casualty of a knock-out on Friday, Halifax unleashed a first half maelstrom on Keighley to deliver their own knock out scoreline.

As the last rites were administered the score stood at 50-16 but the match as a contest was effectively over by half-time with Keighley reeling on the ropes at 38-6.

Initially innocuous sets were traded, before James Feather darted down the centre, he found stand off Jon Presley. Presley motored for 50 metres before being cornered by the cover.

The Cougars played out the full set, forcing Fax into a goal line drop out. Once more they drove into the home side's 20, until on the fifth tackle Danny Jones kicked the ball dead.

Sean Penkywicz and Andy Smith combined for 80 metres tearing up the pitch and Keighley defence in the process, before finding Lee Greenwood. He nonchalantly opened the home side's account after eight minutes. Graham Holroyd tagged on the extras.

For the visitors Andy Shickell made his physical presence felt on opposition prop and Bulls loanee, Craig Kopczak. But from the next play Shad Royston burst on to the ball as the visitors defence disintegrated, to claim his first try of the evening.

Halifax's Danny Eaton looked to be a certainty to score the next and had his eyes fixed firmly on the line when winger Sam Gardner cut back inside to make a timely cover tackle.

However it only delayed the inevitable; the Blue Sox swung the ball out right which allowed Paul Smith four points. Holroyd duly turned them into six to make a 16-0 scoreline as the first quarter drew to a close.

The home team introduced replacement forwards Dave Wrench and Frank Watene. They combined for Fax's fourth try, which Watene claimed.

The Cougars at this juncture were chasing shadows. An individual piece of brilliance by Leeds Rhinos' loanee, Mike Ratu, even upstaged the precocious Presley. Ratu feigned to take him on the outside before sidestepping back inside. Presley readjusted but too late.

He then drew the full back before off loading to the shadowing Royston, for his second score. Holroyd increased the lead to 28-0.

Playing for pride the Cougars were spurred on by Gavin Duffy's bone-crunching hit on Andy Smith, who spilled the ball. Gardner claimed it to kick start the Keighley assault.

Laying siege to the Halifax right flank, the Cougars battered the immovable blue and white wall for two consecutive plays. Before Jones' chip on the fifth tackle hit the in goal area Presley's predatory instincts honed in on the ball for Keighley's first points, which Richard Knight then converted.

A Knight bomb almost brought further success but Royston was up to the challenge. He was however pinned by the marauding Gardner and Oliver Pursglove before he could make a yard.

Knight's next kick was less successful; Halifax ran back his goal line drop out within four plays to allow Royston to complete his hat-trick.

Halifax's last score of the half belonged to Andy Smith but stemmed from yardage and two incredible dummies thrown by Penkywicz and Miles Greenwood before the play was spread across the full width of the pitch to create an overlap which gave Gardener no chance with two men bearing down on him.

The half-time smelling salts administered by head coach Barry Eaton to his bruised team revived the Cougars senses and fortunes alike.

Taking the fight to Fax to score after only four minutes they spread the ball with a surety missing throughout much of their play. The ball was shipped at pace from left to right, from Wray to Presley to Jones before Will Cartledge finished the move off.

The conversion was missed as was the surety of handling for the next five minutes as both teams traded feverish knock ons.

The ill discipline was broken by Penkywicz who kept hold of the ball for 50 metres only being stopped by George Rayner's last ditch tackle one metre out from the posts. On the next play Royston created space to cross the chalk for the fourth occasion. It also gave Holroyd his sixth goal.

Whilst Royston provided a one-man finishing show the Cougars fell inexplicably short with Jermaine Wray, Knight and Presley all going close.

Holroyd received the ball ten metres out, looked up, ran straight for Cartledge before stepping off his left peg at pace to leave the Cougar floundering. As Holroyd hit the line the defence man hit the deck. Converting his own try, Holroyd brought up the Halifax half century.

Keighley rallied once more with Duffy's hack on and chase seemingly impeded.

However there was no stopping Brendan Rawlins who barged over from close range for a consolation try, following James Feather's tap.