Thunder record first North East win of season

Newcastle Thunder and Keighley Cougars played out an entertaining game that ended up with Newcastle Thunder taking their first victory at home since defeating Barrow Raiders 36-24 in September 2023. The final score doesn’t do justice as to how close this game was until Thunder ran away with it in the final fifteen minutes.

It was Thunder who scored first when Harvey Reynolds found a gap in the Keighley defence to go through, Will Roberts converted and gave Thunder a 6-0 lead. Thunder added to their try count after thirteen minutes when Jordan Lipp threw a lovely pass to find Jack Smith on the right to score, Roberts missed the conversion but Thunder led 12-0.

At this stage the signs looked ominous for Keighley but they rallied and ex-Thunder man Nathan Rushworth ran a lovely line to run over to score, Izaac Farrell converted to take the score to 10-6. Keighley then went close but the Thunder defence held firm. After thirty one minutes, Thunder were on the attack and Cody Hunter put a grubber kick through - Joe Law was on the end to score. Will Roberts converted and Thunder took their lead to 16-6 and that’s how it remained until half time.

Keighley started the second half the stronger team and looked threatening in attack. They forced Thunder into a goal line drop out and thought they’d scored just after, but the referee adjudged a double movement in the act of scoring. Keighley were relentless at this point and pressure told when Izaac Farrell, who had a quality game, found his way over the line and he converted to bring the score to 16-12.

Thunder did score next, though, as Will Roberts broke and found Tom Inman who went over to score, Roberts converted and Thunder extended their lead to 22-12. Keighley weren’t going anywhere in this pulsating encounter, though. A brilliant high kick to the corner was followed up by the Keighley defence who forced Brad Ward into touch. This gave them a platform to attack again and attack they did, Jacob Stead ran a really nice line to go round the Thunder defence, Farrell kept up his perfect kicking record and it was 22-18.

Keighley really had their tails up and Thunder fans could be forgiven for reliving Dewsbury at home where they let a lead go. The crucial moment of the game then happened: Izaac Farrell chipped through dangerously and followed up but Jordan Lipp gathered and raced ahead all the way to the line to score. Roberts converted and Thunder led 28-18.

Thunder then turned on the style in the last fifteen minutes with two tries for Law who completed his hat-trick. The first he barged his way over taking a couple of defenders with him and the second he showed some wonderful pace after Hunter had initially unlocked the Cougars’ defence to score.

Roberts converted one. Brad Ward scored the final try of the afternoon after a Lipp break, he found Hunter who floated an exceptional pass for Ward to run in. Roberts converted and Thunder finally got their long awaited victory at home.

by Phil World