Panthers blown away in second half blitz

Keighley Cougars 44 pts Blackpool Panthers 18 pts

Fourth in the league against third bottom the above score line looks about right. But the score does not give a true reflection of this game. In the end Keighley blasted the Blackpool defence to smithereens but for long periods the casual observer would have struggled to decide which of these sides had the promotion credentials.

Keighley started the strongest and within twelve minutes both wingers, Sam Gardener and Mick Foggarty had scored unconverted tries in their respective corners to give the hosts an 8-0 lead.

Blackpool had given debuts to Chris Forster signed from Rochdale and Carl Lamb from amateur side Black Brook. Lamb was substituted after the second try and only returned late on to suggest the step up may be slightly premature, but in Forster the Panthers have unearthed a gem. His kicking and passing game look class and after 17 minutes his slick pass saw Andy Wallace crash over near the posts for Forster to convert.

After 30 minutes the visitors took the lead Forster dispatched a towering kick for Dave Llewellyn to gather and score his eighth try of the season. Forster landed a fine conversion from wide out to give the visitors the lead.

Unfortunately Llewellyn was injured scoring, and his replacement Paul Ashton who was to go on to have a fine game, made a basic error with a forward pass straight from the kick off and Greg Nicholson scored an unconverted try from the resultant scrum to level the scores at 12-12.

Undeterred Ashton was well involved as fine handling saw winger Sean Weed score in the corner for Forster to convert magnificently to give the visitors a 18-12 interval lead.
Keighley with the famous slope and wind in their favour levelled the scores at 18-18 with a try by full back Raynor converted by Jones after 44 minutes. The Panthers held out for another 15 minutes until fine ball work saw Gardener score his second try in the corner to leave the hosts in front 22-18.

At this stage huge prop forwards Bissell and Shickell were creating havoc by their sheer size and they both crashed over almost unstoppable to put the home side out of sight at 34-18.

Further late tries by Gardiner and Fawcett gave Keighley a 44-18 victory to cement their place in the top four but the Panthers although obviously despondent at the margin of defeat should take great heart from their performance.

Panthers team.
Munro, Gillam, Hoba, Llewellyn, Weed, Leather, Forster, Warriner, Clough , Fairhurst, Lamb, Kaye, Wallace (A), Subs (All used) Ashton, Wallace (M). Boland, Jones.