Keighley 20 St Joseph's 6

Keighley will travel to Upton in the quarter-finals of the Hamuel Reichenbacher Yorkshire Cup on Saturday thanks to victory against a spirited St Josephs side last week.

This was a very close game with both sides having enough chances to win but it was the hosts who took their opportunities.

Keighley had to make a few changes to the team that beat Bank Top due to injury and work commit-ments.

But they soon got on the scoreboard with a try from winger Owen Palmer, who took the ball off Chris Dooling, who was held up on the line but managed to get the ball free.

The goal attempt was too wide out for Callam Hudson to slot over.

The visitors put some good football together and put pressure on the Keighley line but could not find the key ball to cross it.

With the slope in their favour, the hosts found themselves in the St Josephs 20-metre area but they too could not cross.

However, they did man-age some repeat sets and, from one such attack, Joe Copperwaite barged his way over from short range, this time Hudson adding the extras.

Again the visitors did not give up but could not break the Keighley defence.

Keith Dixon’s side increased their lead after more good work from Copperwaite, who unlocked the visitors’ defensive line and fed the ball inside to the supporting Danny Barrett to cross under the posts.

From the restart Keighley lost the ball on the third tackle and the visitors reacted the quicker to reduce the deficit to 16-6 at half-time.

The second half was an arm wrestle, with both sides creating chances but neither could add to the score until the 75th minute.

Keighley crossed again through Barrett, who supp-orted some good work from Alex Young. He beat three men and drew the full back to put the hooker away and seal the match.

Saturday’s opponents Upton, who are third in the division below Keighley, were given a bye into the quarter-final after Hull side Haworth Park could not raise a side.

Keighley will have to be on top form against their Pontefract hosts if they want to progress to the same stage of the competition as last season. Kick-off is 2pm.