Keighley Cougars 28, Newcastle Thunder 10

PLAYER-COACH Paul March felt his side jumped 'a massive hurdle' as Cougars got back to winning ways at home to Newcastle.

Keighley's squad had been decimated by injuries in the build-up to the game but they got the victory that saw them keep pace with leaders Oldham ahead of the crunch clash between the teams next week.

In wet conditions, David March nearly opened the scoring when he burst through from a Rikki Sheriffe grubber kick but was adjudged to have been held up over the line despite claims to the contrary from team-mates.

Andy Gabriel put Keighley in front when Liam Darville got the ball away and quick hands from Paul March, who was making his 400th career appearance, allowed the young winger to race over behind the uprights.

Following a knock-on, Thunder hit back when the ball squirmed free during a tackle on Evan Simons, allowing winger Macauley Hallett to pounce and dive over in the corner.

Darville scored his first senior try when he raced 40 metres unchallenged, after Sheriffe had fought free, to send Keighley into half-time with an eight-point advantage.

After a drab opening to the second period, Adam Brook responded to a reckless high tackle missed by the officials when he changed direction before getting the ball down despite the efforts of Ali Blair and Lee Fewlass.

Following a knock-on forced by Mark Mexico, Newcastle scored their only points of the half. After throwing a dummy from the play-the-ball, Simons threw himself under David March to get in underneath the posts following a 40/20 from Benn Hardcastle.

Neil Cherryholme, who prior to this season had not scored a competitive try since 2011, grabbed his second of the season when he powered through the attempted Matt Barron tackle to get over to end the game as a contest.

Hardcastle and Sheriffe finished the afternoon in the sin bin when, following a scuffle in back play, the referee consulted his touch judge before showing the Newcastle half-back and Keighley centre yellow cards.

Josh Guzdek, making his debut following his loan move from Hull Kingston Rovers, scored the final try of the game for Cougars when he crossed after a ball carry down the right wing following clever play by Paul March.