Cougars complete late fight-back to sink Panthers in final game
Halifax Panthers succumbed to a late fight-back from Keighley Cougars when they lost 19-18 at the Shay in their final Betfred Championship match of the season.
Fax led 12-0 in the first half and were still 18-10 up going into the final 15 minutes as they appeared on course to end the campaign in style but the Cougars fought back in the dying stages to steal victory.
The fast-starting hosts broke the deadlock with only two minutes on the clock when Jesse Soric broke through to send Ben Crooks over the whitewash. Kieran Rush added the conversion.
The lead was doubled only eight minutes later thanks to Delaine Gittens’ try under the posts and another Rush goal.
It looked ominous for the Cougars but they dug in and reduced the arrears midway through the half when Brad Holroyd crashed over in the corner to make it 12-4.
The Panthers went into the break in control but they handed the visitors a confidence booster five minutes into the second half when Holroyd intercepted a loose pass and raced 90 metres to score a converted try.
Ben Tibbs pounced on his own kick to touch-down on 49 minutes, Rush adding the extras, to reassure the home fans but the game was turned on its head in the final 15 minutes.
George Flanagan burst through from dummy half for a converted try and Matty Beharrell then kicked a penalty to level the game with eight minutes remaining.
The momentum was firmly with the visitors and they clinched victory with Beharrell’s drop goal three minutes from time.