Keighley at home for the Under 15s in a dress rehearsal for the up-coming Yorkshire Cup tie. Always a good game with both teams quite evenly matched. The game was played over three 20 minute periods.

Ripon’s start was terrible with a dropped ball from the kick off putting them straight onto the back-foot. From the resulting scrum Keighley pressed hard and with Ripon falling off tackles ran the ball in to take a seven point lead. Ripon did not improve, slow to ruck over, missing tackles and dropping the ball when they did have it in hand. To be only seven behind at the end of the first third was quite fortunate.

With ears ringing from the coaches observations Ripon kicked off, only for Keighley to run the ball straight back to score a second try to make it 0-14. It could have been worse had not Charlie Britton chased back to make a try saving tackle in the corner to deny the Keighley winger. Ripon continued to up their game enjoying plenty of possession in the opposition half. The reward for this was a try from Elliot Brooksbank, scoring by the post after a good spell of phased rugby. Hynsy put the conversion over to make it 7-14.

With the game going into the last period the teams looked more evenly matched, Keighley’s quick backs making good runs but Ripon tackles now sticking and both teams had chances. Strong running through the middle by Ric-Castle-Ward opened up the defence, and when the ball was recycled down the line to winger Miles Naylor with only one defender to beat, he did well to hold off the tackle and squeeze the ball over the line in the corner, 12-14.

Ripon’s winning try came from second -row forward Olly Bowett, stealing the ball off the front of a line-out in his own half and charging down the line to score. Hynsy put over a tricky conversion from a tight angle to make the final score 19-14 to Ripon.

Man of the match was awarded to fullback Luke Ratcliff
Man of Steel was awarded to Sam Sweet