Halifax Panthers convincingly beat Keighley Cougars to maintain perfect home record

Fax, on the back of their stunning Challenge Cup victory at high-flying Featherstone Rovers last weekend, had beaten Sheffield Eagles, London Broncos and Batley Bulldogs at The Shay in their first three home league encounters - and five first half tries helped Simon Grix’s men on their way to make it four out of four against their West Yorkshire rivals.

James Saltonstall, Joe Keyes, Ben Kavanagh, Lachlan Walmsley and Tom Inman gave the Panthers a healthy lead at the interval. And although the Cougars refused to wilt in the second half, Fax never seemed in danger of losing their impressive unbeaten home record, with the league’s top try scorer Walmsley helping himself to another try with eight minutes remaining.

Grix made just the one change to the starting 13 which spectacularly beat Fev 18-22, as Kyle Wood came in at hooker, with Brandon Moore given a rest, while Jacob Gannon, on loan from Leigh Leopards, made his debut from the bench, as Eribe Doro missed out.

Keighley, meanwhile, had former Man of Steel, Luke Gale back in their ranks after missing the previous two games due to a cartilage injury.

And Grix, before the game, warned that the ex-Super League star, along with Brenden Santi, Lewis Young and former Fax reserve player Billy Gaylor would offer a threat to his side.

Gale was in the thick of the action immediately as he produced a hit on Saltonstall after Fax had moved it wonderfully from left to right.

And it was Saltonstall who grabbed the game’s first try in the very next set. After Wood was held up on the line, Fax again showed good hands, culminating in Zack McComb providing the assist to the winger, who found a gap to make it 4-0.

Louis Jouffret, last weekend’s match-winning hero at the Millennium Stadium, failed to control the ball from the restart, allowing Keighley a set of six and it needed Saltonstall to do some much-needed defensive work to clear a Gale grubber kick.

Fax defended another set of six stoutly but the Cougars were not to be denied as Robbie Storey went over for his seventh try of the season - and sixth in the league - in the 13th minute to restore parity.

However, Fax were given the impetus in the 20th minute when McComb did splendidly to create space and attempted to find Jouffret, who was denied a clear run to the try line - 30 metres out - when he was carelessly barged in the back by Santi. The prop was brandished a yellow card by match official Liam Rush for a professional foul. It could, quite easily, have been red.

Halifax made the extra man count straight away with Keyes producing a neat sidestep to dive over the line to regain the lead. After failing to gain the extra two for Saltonstall’s try, he successfully converted his own effort.

And, just before Fax’s numerical advantage was coming to a conclusion, Kavanagh barged over for his first try of the season, with Keyes adding a difficult conversion, to extend the lead to 16-4.

Things got better for the home side two minutes before the half-time hooter during a period when they were defending for their lives. However, the visitors attempted one off-load too many, with Walmsley producing a trademark interception and ran 70 metres for his tenth competitive try of 2023.

Incredibly, there was still time for another Panthers try before the hooter as Inman - who scored his first try for his hometown club in the victory at Fev - made it two in two when he bulldozed his way over the line.

Keighley were still looking for their first away league win back in the Championship since promotion from League 1. And it would have taken something special - maybe even a miracle - if it was to transpire in the second half at The Shay and recover from their 24-point deficit.

However, a little creak in the Halifax defensive door appeared during a dramatic start to the second 40 as, within the first minute, Jake Maizen was sin-binned for taking an opponent without the ball.

And, just as Fax did when the Cougars were reduced to 12 men in the first half, Keighley took full advantage with Storey grabbing his second of the afternoon.

Kavanagh then pulled off a try-saving tackle on Charlie Graham when the winger appeared to have scampered clear before Rush dismissed Jacob Fairbank to the sin bin with 12 minutes remaining for tackling a Cougars man below the knee.

Undeterred, Walmsley was gifted his second of the game when he ran through unopposed, after Keyes pounced on a mistake by Sadiq Adebiyi, to put the game beyond any doubt.

Halifax: Woodburn-Hall, Walmsley, Maizen, McComb, Saltonstall, Jouffret, Keyes, Gee, Wood, Murray, Kavanagh, Maher, Fairbank

Interchanges: Inman, Tangata, Calcott, Gannon

Tries: Saltonstall, Keyes, Kavanagh, Walmsley (2), Inman

Conversions: Keyes (5)

Keighley: Young, Graham, Storey, Stephenson, Dyer-Dixon, Gale, Gaylor, Santi, Kesik, Parker, Levy, Tomlinson, Spence

Interchanges: Doyle, Adebiyi, Ione, Walker

Tries: Storey (2)

Conversions: Gale

Match Official: Liam Rush

Attendance: 2123