Wetherby lose but other results keep them in the mix

There was everything to play for as the boys in red and white headed to Keighley for another top of the table clash. With 40mph winds whipping across the pitch and rain coming down in sheets it was going to be a challenging afternoon on more than one front.

And some last minute changes with Johnson suffering from food poising - dodgy muscles apparently, mean that James Ward was back in with Little moved to No 8.

Thankfully the Keighley committee warmly welcomed the visiting officials with free beer, offer of red wine, a beef roast dinner, and some sort of pie and custard for dessert, very nice. With heated gilets on we headed to the warmth of the stand.

Keighley kicked off with a near full strength side and from the start they had the measure of the pitch with their kicking game. The 4G pitch and wind played in to the home side’s hands as they pinned Wetherby in to the bottom corner and despite the visitors attempts to clear their lines or stuff it up their jumpers and hard-yard it down the pitch, the ball ended up back in the corner. The first box kick from Yates ended up almost behind him which caused general confusion to Greenwood who wasn’t used to being in front of play. Unable to resist the lure of the rugby ball regardless of his position on the pitch, he gathered it up and conceded the first penalty in front of the posts, which was missed.

Five minutes in and Wetherby were rocked by the injury to the Captain, Oates, who went in for a trade mark, fully committed tackle but this time came off 2nd best and left the pitch supporting a seeming dislocated shoulder. Off to the hospital to get it checked out! Yet more changes then as Goodall entered the fray, becoming the utility man of the club, able to play forwards or backs, left or right – obviously taught well by his childhood coach, Ed (Goodall too…).

Back to the rugby and early pressure from Keighley took its toll with another penalty in front of the posts that was duly dispatched. 3-0

Wetherby then enjoyed a little more possession moving the ball nicely out to the wing through the backs hands. Despite the dreadful conditions they still seemed able to look impressive until one forced pass too many gifted the ball to Keighley to run in their first try. 10-0 This wasn’t going to be a day for flair and miss-passes.

With the cool head of Oates off the pitch, Wetherby were suffering a little indiscipline and when the team started questioning the referee a penalty ensued and put Wetherby under further pressure. And then further remonstrations to the ref sent Wetherby back another 10. If this game wasn’t going to be hard enough already then Wetherby had made it a whole lot harder. Meanwhile in the stands, 2nd Team Coach Little was engaged in his own little match, more of the shouting variety, as he disagreed with the referee decisions on numerous occasions and with the home team supporters. Oh he can be an angry little fella sometimes!

Again back to the match and only 22 minutes the Keighley kicking was becoming predictable and punishing. Wetherby gave everything in defence with tackles flying in from Blakey and Acland but a penalty handed Keighley another 3 points. 13-0.

As can often be the case, Wetherby seemed to be growing in to the game despite only 14 men on the pitch and with a dogged attitude they managed to gain some decent field position in the Keighley 22. But with turnover ball for the home side it looked like Wetherby were going to be pinned back again but great pressure from Yates forced a knock on and Wetherby re-set in an attempt to get their first score. Movement and passing from one side of the pitch to the other demonstrated why Wetherby are at the top of the table contending and this concerted pressure produced the result, try to Wetherby scored by Little, 13-5.

At this point we must all be grateful for anyone refereeing but as a factual account of the proceedings at Keighley on the 9th December it should also be pointed out that a lot was missed in this match for both sides. In a bizarre 2 minutes the ref let 3 knock on’s go unpunished (for both sides I must add) and Keighley score from the resultant confusion, half of the players looking around wondering what was going on. Lesson here - play to the whistle. 20-5

Wetherby forwards were industrious without the usually ever present Hoather, Kitching Woodworth and Mason were grinding out some big carries but were equally matched by the Keighley forwards. And almost from the kick off, with Wetherby in seemingly uncontested possession, they somehow lost the ball in the middle of the park and Keighley hacked it down the pitch to score. 25-5

From the melee of this match there were some signs of the usual Wetherby style. Right in front of the stand there was some lovely interplay between Yates, Jack Kaye and Beeson and with Redman orchestrating the moves, Wetherby were making progress with a cross field move that defied the wind and rain, and the opposition. With a try seeming to be on the cards for Wetherby, Keighley again showed why they have been up at the top of Division one for the past three seasons and defended resolutely to force the knock on on the line which let them relieve pressure and through a couple of mistakes by the visitors, score at the other end, conversion missed. 30-5

Wetherby weren’t getting it all their own way in the scrums for once. Keighley were set up well and whilst the early momentum in the scrum was with the visitors, Keighley maintained their starting pack and were becoming more dominant. A problem that was to be worsened when Land was penalised for a high tackle which may have looked worse than it was, but from the stand looked more like a move from Hulk Hogan in WWE (size difference obvs…) and was given a yellow and 10 minute rest that he really didn’t need!

Half time finished 30-5.

Keighley kicked off the 2nd half and with the first line out to Wetherby not straight the possession went straight back to Keighley. Wetherby had clearly worked out that if they didn’t have the ball then all that was left was to tackle and everyone, to a man, put in their shift. Land returned to the fray and adopted his trademark position for jackling returning possession to Wetherby. The Kaye Bros (Christmas tree bookings being taken for 2024) combined well in the loose but were bundled out of touch and with the line out not quite firing as usual, Keighley were again on the attack.

With more player turmoil, Beeson headed off with a potential hamstring injury and Draper joined the melee as the last sub. In an attempt to take advantage of the wind on the Wetherby backs, Yates was testing the positional kick but couldn’t find his range in these conditions and on the 4G to keep the ball in play, a frustrating day all round. And what looked like a great kick from Yates ended up rolling out with a scrum back to Keighley on the Wetherby 22.

Wetherby were looking more composed in 2nd half with Harry Kaye taking on the backs senior leadership role. Wetherby built a bit of pressure but Keighley regain possession again – which was to be the story of the match. Despite the scoreline Wetherby aren't the sort of team to give up and some nice interplay from the backs led to the usual set up for the forwards whenever we get in to an oppositions 22. Keeping the ball in tight it was only a matter of time before one of the big lads was going to get this one over the line and Coach Woodworth was the man to do it. Converted by Yates 30-12

Stand-in Captain Reid was doing a great job keeping his views on the refereeing standard to himself in an attempt to keep all players on the pitch but even the ever-calm Mason nearly came a-cropper when he felt the shoulder of the opposition from row collide with the side of the head – the ref said nothing was doing and play on!

As the rain piled down Keighley’s consistency showed through and the team with the fewer errors, fewer injuries and better discipline came through with another try and conversion 35-12.

And in a final foray by the home side Wetherby succumbed to one more try.

End of game 40-12

Man of the match, Charlie Yates.

With West Leeds losing, Wetherby are now 2nd to Keighley with a game in hand.