Keighley Cougars 40pts Lancashire Lynx 14

LANCASHIRE Lynx slumped to yet another defeat this time at the hands of Keighley Cougars at Cougar Park.

Lynx have only themselves to blame as individual errors and poor defensive play cost them dear.

After the game Lynx coach Steve Hampson was obviously disappointed with the performance. He said: "Our defence out wide was generally poor and coupled with individual errors gave Keighley the upper hand. It is also difficult with the injury problems especially with the experienced Darren Abram and Paul Norton having to miss the game with wrist and leg injuries."

On the injury front he said: "It was good to have Neil Flanagan back in the team as he organises the back line well, but with three players awaiting operations and others still some way off full fitness, it will be many weeks before a full strength side will be able to take the field."

Lynx started brightly putting pressure on the Keighley line, but they were then hit by three tries in six minutes.

Lynx hit back with a Shaun Geritas after 23rd minutes and Neil Parsley scored a fine individual effort to make it 20-10 to the Cougars at half time.

Matt Foster's fourth try for Cougars set the pattern for the second half. The Lynx only had a PJ Solomon effort to show for their attacking.

Keighley scored again with further tries from Foster and Mark Campbell.

Kynx gave a debut to stand off Neil Alexandra from Salford and also returning to the club was British Students centre Danny Jones. To have any chance of winning the game Lynx had to score first in the second half, this was not to be as another Keith Dixon penalty stretched their lead to 12 points and this was followed by Matt Foster's fourth try of the game as he left the Lynx defence trailing from inside his own half. Lynx reduced the arrears five minutes later when PJ Solomon broke down the wing and he had the strength and pace to get over the try line.

Lynx were having their share of attacking play, but they were unable to turn pressure into points. Keighley were irresistible on the break and this was proved again when Matt Foster found himself in acres of space and he had no trouble in scoring his fifth try of the afternoon.

Lynx' miserable afternoon was completed two minutes from time. Tommy Hodgkinson dropped the ball when under the Keighley posts and from the restart they went the full length of the field for Mark Campbell to add their seventh try of the afternoon with David Larder adding the conversion to complete the scoring.

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