Keighley Cougars 28 Swinton Lions 29

PROMOTION eluded Cougars in agonising fashion as Swinton snatched the final place in the Championship after edging a thrilling encounter.

The League One Play-Off Final at Widnes provided the opportunity to make an instant return to the second tier following last season’s cruel relegation amid the dual-registration saga.

But a stirring second-half display from Paul March’s side fell just short as winger Andy Gabriel went close to a match-winning try before Paul Handforth twice had opportunities to drop a goal that would have levelled the scores.

It was the fifth time this season that Keighley had lost to Swinton but, as March readily conceded, the Lions were the better side overall and could certainly not be described as unworthy winners.

Swinton, who followed neighbours Oldham in winning promotion, can now look forward to league encounters with the Bulls, London Broncos and sides such as Leigh and Sheffield in 2016.

It was a real sickener for March on the day that he and twin brother David made the final appearance of their illustrious careers before retiring from playing.

Moreover, it marked a bitterly disappointing end to a season in which Cougars saw popular playmaker Danny Jones pass away at the age of just 29.

Jones’ widow Lizzie was in attendance at the Select Security Stadium to support her late husband’s team-mates and she would have collected the promotion trophy had Cougars emerged victorious.

Sadly, it was not meant to be after Keighley were left to reflect on a sluggish defensive display in the first half from which they never quite recovered.

Cougars, with club captain James Feather back in the team from the bench, made an inauspicious start as player-coach March knocked on straight from the kick-off before Swinton’s impressive scrum half Chris Atkin opened the scoring in the sixth minute.

Rob Lever set prop Ben Austin charging through a gap and his neat pass invited Atkin to scamper clear and score.

Yet Cougars steadied themselves and hit back when prop Scott Law collected a short pass and barrelled over the line from close range in the 12th minute.

Four minutes later, Law was at it again to muscle his way over from a similar position.

Danny Lawton converted both tries to make it 12-6 but Swinton bagged two tries in four minutes midway through the first half.

First, winger Mike Butt was set up by Rhodri Lloyd to touch down in the left corner and then stand-off Ben White broke clear to race under the posts from Lever’s astute offload.

Yet Cougars responded when Josh Lynam found the space to go through a gap to score a try after good work from Paul March and Handforth.

Lawton missed the relatively straightforward conversion to leave the scores at 16-16, but only momentarily as Swinton grabbed two more tries before the break.

Atkin sent Lloyd racing clear and then winger Shaun Robinson dived over in the left corner after excellent work from Atkin, White and Stuart Littler, who provided the killer pass.

That gave Swinton an interval lead of 26-16 and Keighley a mountain to climb.

But ten minutes after the restart they found the right response as second-rower Olliver Pursglove ploughed over before Lawton converted to cut Swinton’s lead to six points.

A drop-goal from Atkin, however, edged Swinton further in front at 29-20 in the 63rd minute and that proved crucial in the final reckoning.

Cougars held Swinton up three times over their line in the second half and, with ten minutes remaining, Paul March collected his own kick to score a try which Lawton converted to make it 29-28.

Gabriel, so prolific in recent weeks, then had a chance to nick it for Keighley when he found himself in space inside the right channel less than 20 metres out but opted to cut inside when he should have headed straight for the line.

With the clock ticking down, Handforth’s first drop-goal attempt was charged down by Josh Barlow and he lost his footing as he set himself for a second effort moments later as Swinton held on.

Player ratings - Cougars: Guzdek 6, Gabriel 5, Lawton 6, R Sheriffe 6, White 5, P March 7, Handforth 7, Law 7, D March 7, Rawlins 6, Lynam 6, Pursglove 6, Lindsay 6

Interchange: Feather, Cherryholme, Bailey, Tahraoui

Swinton Lions: Hawkyard 7, Robinson 7, Littler 7, Rothwell 6, Butt 7, White 7, Atkin 8, James 7, Ackers 6, Austin 7, Thornley 6, R Lloyd 8, Lever 8

Interchange: Gallagher 7, Barlow 7, Dwyer 6, A Lloyd 6

Referee: Chris Kendall