They might not have been able to have a full training session outdoors since mid-December but there is no talk about the wintry weather at Keighley Rugby Union Club.

With five successive victories in Yorkshire Division One under their belts, the first team’s focus is very much on facing leaders Wheatley Hills away on Saturday.

“We are the only side to have beaten them this season, so they will be gunning for us,” admitted Keighley’s director of rugby Jeff Inman, whose side are fifth in the table – eight points behind Hills but only four adrift of Sheffield and two behind Bradford Salem and Castleford.

“We weren’t able to train properly on Tuesday of last week, so we had a chat about what we had done so far this season and what we intended to do in the future.

“The message was that we have deserved a pat on the back but that we are not getting carried away.

“The campaign is only halfway through and we have now got to repeat what we have achieved in the first half of the season.

“If we can finish in the top half of the table then great, but we could get into the top four or five.”

One thing that could scupper Inman’s plans are injuries.

He said: “We are currently missing our fly half Alex Brown with a knee injury but we could have him back in two or three weeks.

“We will take advice off our physio but we certainly won’t be rushing Alex back as we are thinking of him in the long term rather than the short term.

“Also prop Evan Griffin and winger James Anson suffered shoulder injuries so, with Alex’s injury too, the 23-0 victory over Dinnington earlier this month was costly indeed. But we were proud that we carried on our sequence of not conceding a try.

“That now stands at three games and it is something that we are very proud of.

“Our defence was the key to defeating Wheatley Hills 10-3 in September.”

Brown was a key figure that day, kicking a penalty and a conversion and making the interception that led to Matthew Langstaff’s try.

Rob Wilkinson, who has been out with a minor injury and flu, is likely to take over at fly half at the weekend.

Inman added: “Alex missed an average sort of penalty that would have given us a win at Sheffield on October 31.

“Those league points would have been useful but, on the other hand, he landed a kick from the touchline that brought us victory at Selby two weeks later.”

Inman’s squad trained last night with their eyes very much fixed on doing the double over Doncaster-based Wheatley Hills.

But he revealed that they do have contingency plans in case the cold snap continues.

Inman said: “We have two options – Matthew Cox is involved with Parkside Secondary School in Cullingworth, so we could train there, while I have also been making enquiries about using Aireview Equestrian Centre between Long Lee and Harden.

“They have padded-down sand, which would be ideal.”

Meanwhile, Keighley seconds are due to face Ilkley seconds at Utley on Saturday, while the clubs’ third teams will meet at Ilkley.

The venues will be reversed when the sides meet again on Saturday, January 23.