‘We had an opportunity to put the foot down’ - Simon Grix ‘disappointed’ with Halifax Panthers’ second half display in win over Keighley Cougars

The win maintained Fax’s unbeaten home record at The Shay, while it also secured successive league victories for the first time this season.

However, after first half tries from James Saltonstall, Joe Keyes, Ben Kavanagh, Lachlan Walmsley and Tom Inman gave the Panthers a healthy 28-4 lead at the break, they only had another Walmsley try to show for their efforts in the second half, which was drawn 6-6.

Grix said: “I am a bit disappointed with the second half. We had a bit going on there and the two sin bins didn't help but I thought we had an opportunity at 28-4 to put the foot down and put some distance between us.

“We did some really good stuff in the first half. We made some good options and we completed high for the first 20. I thought the second 20 we started pushing it a bit and you do when you get a little bit of confidence, you feel like you can score every play and probably went away from the ‘build it’ mentality.

“To be up by 28-4 and win 34-10 and only score one try with the attacking quality we have got, was a bit disappointing but we did have a lot to deal with.

“Credit to Keighley, I thought they battled hard and it was a decent contest. There were some errors and some indiscipline from us which didn’t help but, on the whole, we have got two points against a good Keighley team who caused us plenty of problems. I thought they were really good.

“I think they are making strides every week and have been in every game. That wasn’t comfortable if we are honest. The scoreboard looked nice but I didn’t really feel comfortable the whole way through because they attacked pretty well and, defensively, they have got a way of making it hard for you.

“The win was important, breaking that cycle of win one, lose one in the league. It could have been more but we are improving and we have got better week-on-week and have kicked on since the Batley game.”

Kavanagh’s try - his first of the season - arrived thanks to a lovely combination with Joe Keyes, a duo which caused countless problems for opposition defences last season.

“I think that will happen more and more,” said Grix after being asked if he thought there would be more to come from the pair over the course of the season. “Kav is a big bloke who has got pretty good feet and if you put him one-on-one he is a bit of a handful.

“But we haven’t been spending enough time in the opposition ten, fifteen metre area to really isolate people and make it a tough tackle on that one-on-one scenario. When you have got no metres behind you there is no time for someone to come in and help you out really.

“We have probably been guilty of letting them off the hook and letting them out of that area far too cheaply. The more we spend down there, the more you will see the Matty Gee’s, who can break a tackle, and the Kav’s of this world come through.”

Grix also confirmed Brandon Moore was rested in a decision that came down to “common sense.” He said:

“We have got three hookers and we can only pick two so it’s common sense. It’s not always going to be Brandon. The reason behind it was that he has made 50 tackles a week and as much as he is tough and wouldn’t complain or ask for a week off, I feel like we have got to look after him at times.

“Tom (Inman) is showing the promise we know that is there and Woody (Kyle Wood) knows how to manage a game, so I thought it was a good opportunity to give Brandon a week off and let Woody start a game for us.

“I thought he did a really good job and Tom has shown his qualities again.”

Jacob Gannon made his debut from the bench after signing on loan from Leigh Leopards. On his first appearance in Fax colours, Grix revealed:

“I thought he was solid. I was a bit disappointed that he had to deal with that on his debut - in a sense of having 12 men for the most part of it. But he is an athlete and a good player, he’s strong, smart and has got some vision.

“He didn’t get the opportunity to showcase some of that, although it was really good for him to get some minutes under his belt.”

Grix, however, worryingly confirmed that Walmsley, the league’s top try scorer with 11 following his double against Keighley, would be attending hospital after dislocating his finger - although he still managed to grab his second try while nursing the ‘ugly’ injury.

“Lachlan has got one which looks pretty bad to be fair but he managed to stick the game out,” Grix said. “It’s ugly. He’s dislocated his finger, it was a compound and out of the skin which is never good when you’re playing rugby.

“He didn’t get much sympathy though. He got the simple question, ‘can you do your job?’ He said, ‘Yeah, I’ll do it’ and showed some toughness for the boys and got through it and scored a try with that injury and dealing with that was pretty tough.

“He will be at hospital tonight and I imagine they will have to give it a thorough clean with it being an open wound and have x-rays and we’ll probably know more in the next couple of days.

“I imagine it might be a few weeks.”