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Keighley Cougars 10-50 York Knights - Match Report


York Knights secured back-to-back wins in the Betfred Championship following a comprehensive 50-10 win at Keighley Cougars.


A Jesse Dee hat-trick saw Andrew Henderson’s side lead 18-6 at the break, with Alix Stephenson crossing for the hosts at Cougar Park.


But after an early score from Stephenson for the home side, the Knights ran riot as tries from Oli Field, Conor Fitzsimmons, AJ Towse and a brace from Joe Brown saw the Knights finish as comfortable winners in West Yorkshire.


After a arm-wrestle in the first quarter of an hour, Dee opened the scoring by fending off the Cougars defence and surging through a gap in the line.


Myles Harrison converted with the boot, his first of nine successful conversions for the Knights.


It was Dee again who crashed over to double both his and the Knights advantage four minutes later, latching onto a drop-off pass from Liam Harris.


After both Harrison and Brown had tries ruled out, Keighley responded through Stephenson, who found an overlap on the right edge. Brad Walker added his only conversion of the 80 minutes.


But Dee completed his first-half hat-trick with seven minutes to go before the break, the centre proving too strong for a handful of Cougars defenders as he touched down in the right corner.


Harrison took the Knights to a three-score lead two minutes into the second half with a penalty goal from in front of the sticks.


Keighley cut the gap once more through Stephenson as once more the Cougars found numbers down the right.


But that was as good as things go for Keighley as the Knights reeled off five unanswered tries.


James Cunningham’s short ball put Field over from 30 metres out from the try line before Fitzsimmons barged his way through a gap to the right of the sticks to score after Josh Daley’s short ball.


York went back-to-back as Brown scored a brace on his 100th career appearance. He first broke through a gap to score from Chris Clarkson’s offload, before racing clear again to score after interchanging passes between Cunningham and Harris.


The half-century mark was reached when a stunning looping cut-out pass from Dee gave Towse a walk in at the left corner.


Keighley: Laulu-Togagae, Stephenson, Storey, Roby, Graham, Sweeting, Walker, Bibby, Doyle, Levy, Robson, Adebiyi, Trout


Subs (all used): Atkinson, Hird, Kesik, Everett


Tries: Stephenson (29’, 47’)


Goals: Walker (1/2)


York: Brown, Towse, Clarkson, Dee, Harrison, Cunningham, Harris, Santi, Daley, Fitzsimmons, Field, Antrobus, Thompson


Subs (all used): Michael, Teanby, Ta’ai, Bass


Tries: Dee (16’, 20’, 33’), Field (58’), Fitzsimmons (66’), Brown (72’, 74’), Towse (77’)


Goals: Harrison (9/9)


Referee: Nick Bennett


Geoff Pryce Player of the Match in partnership with Isaac Poad Brewing: Jesse Dee


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