KEIGHLEY Cougars recorded an emphatic victory over York City Knights on Good Friday at the LNER Community Stadium.

Bailey Antrobus’ sixth minute try saw York get off to the perfect start before Keighley hit back through Dane Chisholm and Ben Crooks to lead 10-6 at half-time.

Quick-fire tries from Jimmy Keinhorst and Mark Ioane extended Keighley’s advantage to 16 points in the second half.

Liam Harris cut the gap for York after the hour mark, but suffered a head injury in the process and played no further part in the contest.

The Knights had got off to a dream start when Liam Harris intercepted a Keinhorst pass and found Joe Brown, who weaved his way towards halfway.

Antrobus took advantage of the field position to barge over the line before James Glover added the conversion.

Keighley worked their way back into the contest and, midway through the first half, struck back through Chisholm, whose left-foot step took him over the line.

Joe Gibbons then stripped the ball from Jordan Thompson in his own half before the Cougars worked the ball left for Crooks to ground in the left corner. Luke Gale converted the former but not the latter try.

The Knights denied Crooks a second through a try-saving tackle from Harrison just three minutes later, leaving the scores locked at 10-6 in favour of the visitors at the break.

Two tries in four minutes quickly after the second half saw Keighley put some daylight between themselves and York.

Keinhorst showed strong footwork down the left edge to dive in at the corner and the pressure did not relent.

Chisholm’s kicking had caused chaos all night and his high spiral bomb was dropped by AJ Towse, setting up the territory for Ioane to steam over from a drop-off pass. Gale converted both scores for a 22-6 advantage.

York cut the gap when Harris dummied his way past Gale but suffered a head injury in the process. Glover was wide from the kicking tee.

The Knights struggled to escape their own half in the dying stages but did not concede further points, despite a drop goal attempt from Gale which looked to have been successful, but the referee confirmed afterwards he just didn’t see it.