KEIGHLEY, who made an impressive start to their top-of-the-table Counties One Yorkshire derby against North Ribblesdale, led 10-0 after six minutes.
However, by half-time in a match that was an impressive example of the division, the hosts trailed 19-13.
In a game where the lead changed hands seven times, Keighley looked like they had nicked it with a superb drop goal by Alex Brown in the 80th minute.
But there were still four minutes of stoppage time left and, with the last kick of the match, Ribb fly half Tom Davidson landed a penalty from the halfway line to give them an eighth win in as many outings, the second defeat of the season dropping Keighley to third behind Pocklington.
It was an unhappy end to utility player Lucas Uren’s 200th first-team appearance for Keighley, and he said: “That was frustrating and our penalty count cost us massively.
“We matched them, if not surpassed them, physically and we started off like a house on fire.
But we then let them back into the game via silly mistakes, and we know that we are better than that.
“We needed to keep the scoreboard ticking and Browny did the right thing when we had a penalty advantage with that drop goal that got us the lead, but we didn’t realise how much time there was left.
“We thought that it was the last play when Adam Horsfall came back on to the pitch (after his yellow card), but they had enough time to win a penalty and kick a cracker to win the game.”
Uren added: “We have always been a strong defensive side, and we are top of the least points conceded for a reason.
“No-one has kept Ribb to such a low score this season (they were averaging 46 points per game before Saturday).
“They had so many opportunities in our 22, but we defended our socks off and restricted them.
“However, you can spend too much time defending, and if you are not scoring then you are going to lose the game.
“We will try and get back on track in our next game against Pocklington and we will try and climb back up the table.”
Uren, who has played every position in the first XV for Keighley apart from prop and fly half, added: “It was hard to tell what kind of a fixture this would be before the season started as we have always had a friendly rivalry, and we have usually been the stronger side.
“But the way they finished their Counties Two Yorkshire season last year they looked an impressive side, but we are frustrated by today, because had an opportunity and didn’t take it.
“In terms of injuries, Adam Kemp got a head knock and Alan Ebbrell came off with blurred vision, but that was the physicality of the game and you have to be prepared to put your body on the line if you pull on a Keighley shirt.”
As for his milestone appearance, Uren laughed and said: “I should have reached it a hell of a lot sooner, but I have had too many injuries and there are some great players keeping me out of my positions - hence why I have ended up in the front row.
“I have been hooking and playing back row recently, but not scrum half for a while, although wherever Keighley ask me to play, I will pull a shirt on for them, and long may that continue.”
Keighley went ahead in the second minute, flanker Max Wild running a good line before Sean Kelly timed his pass nicely to put fellow centre Taylor Prell over for Brown to convert, the fly half adding a penalty four minutes later.
However, North Ribb hit back with a try by left winger Ralph Wellock in the 10th minute, Tom Davidson adding the conversion.
Keighley lost Prell to a yellow card in the 20th minute for a high tackle, and Ribb crossed a minute later, prop Jim Mallieu-Black going over at some speed to make it 12-10.
A Brown penalty in the 25th minute nudged Keighley 13-12 in front, but they spurned an opportunity to kick at goal soon after before the game became something of a stalemate.
But Ribb went into half-time ahead after replacement Ryan Sumner scored in the second minute of stoppage time, Davidson’s conversion making it 19-13 to the visitors.
Ribb lost a perplexed hooker Matt Speres to the sin-bin five minutes into the second half for offside, awarded by referee Kris Garland (West Yorkshire Society), and paid the penalty.
A sublime short pass by Brown putting Kelly over in the 49th minute, with Brown again converting to ensure his side retook the lead.
Soon after Keighley lost Kemp and Ebbrell to injury, then failed to capitalise on a superb kick downfield by winger Ben Stead.
Horsfall was sin-binned for a high tackle in the 70th minute and Davidson landed a penalty to edge Ribb 22-20 in front six minutes later.
Brown missed his first drop goal attempt, but struck his second effort so sweetly from Ribb’s 10-metre line.
Yet that was not the end of the story, as Davidson broke the hearts of most of an impressive crowd of 575 spectators with that late penalty.
It was only Keighley’s second home league defeat in 47 matches, Bradford Salem winning their last season to essentially clinch promotion.
Salem and Cleckheaton had the weekend off, but both Bradford & Bingley and Baildon were in Counties Two Yorkshire action.
B&B had lost their previous two games heavily, but they were excellent on Saturday, moving up a place to eighth with a tense 17-15 win at mid-table Halifax Vandals.
The victory takes the Bees level on points with Baildon, who lost 29-19 at high-flying Ripon.
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