Saturday 25th August 2001
National Conference Division 2
Milford Marlins 32 Keighley Albion 6

Milford Marlins opened their campaign in impressive style with this excellent victory over a Keighley side obviously not fully on the pace.

But with scrum-half Martin Kelly in magnificent form for the Marlins, it was little wonder that the Albion were all at sea.

It was Kelly who banged over two early penalty goals to give new coaches Paul Cooke and Peter Jarvis an encouraging start, and then he scampered under the posts for the opening try, before adding the extras.

When he added a fourth goal, Milford held a comfortable 12-0 interval lead. 

If the Albion thought they could come back, that was quickly dispelled when winger Mick Moran raced 50 metres for a 45th minute try that Kelly goaled, before the Albion's top player, fullback Chris Hogg, pulled back an Andy Bowness goaled try.

But it was to be a short respite and with fellow winger Andy Moran racing in for two more tries off Kelly's distribution, the final Milford try fell to substitute John Richardson, to ensure that the great work from 18 year old man of the match and hooker, Jason Blakeley, reaped maximum rewards.

From Rugby League Express Mon 27th August, 2001

Marlins catch Albion

Albion got the worse possible start to their Conference league campaign, going down to Leeds side Milford who they had beaten twice last season.

This was probably Albion's worst performance under coaching duo Keith Reeves and Graeme Sheffield and Reeves was not happy: "It was one of those days when what could go wrong did go wrong.  Our cause wasn't helped by silly penalties and niggling injuries, but there was no excuse for this performance.

"Absolutely everybody played below their best and in the end we gifted an average Milford team two points."

Albion will have to improve if they are to go to Hull and beat Cottingham tomorrow, it is never an easy trip to Humberside.

The Keighley side trailed 12-0 at the break thanks to the Martin Kelly Show.  The teenage Milford serum half scored all the first half points thanks to four goals and a fine solo try when he waltzed through flimsy Albion tackling.

Albion came out for the second half looking likely to get back in the contention.  Man of the match Chris Hogg raced in from half way with Andy Bowness converting and Albion should have gone on to level things.  They put Milford under severe pressure but a loose pass was collected by teenage winger Mick Moran who raced 90 metres.  Kelly added the conversion and at 18-6 Albion were out of the game.

Their cause wasn't helped by the loss of Skipper Jon Gwilliam who had been knocked unconscious, and a string of other injuries that severely disrupted Albion's shape.

But the way they capitulated late on was alarming.  Milford finished off with another three tries in the last 10 minutes, Andy Moran raced in for two and John Richardson completed Albion's misery in injury time.

Martin Fryers led from the front and gained the players' player of the match vote, but really it was a game where everybody was under par.

From the Keighley News, Fri 31st

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