Keighley relegated from Championship

It was heartbreak for Keighley who were relegated from the Championship on the final day of the regular season.

The Cougars were beaten 26-24 at home by Featherstone through a late Ben Blackmore try, meaning that Batley and Whitehaven survived after they both recorded victory.

Batley, who won 34-10 at Doncaster, and Whitehaven, 44-18 victors over Swinton, were well on their way to wins at half-time, but Keighley were staying up at the break, as they were then holding Featherstone at 12-12 – a draw would have been enough to keep the Cougars up on points difference.

Before the weekend, Keighley were in 8th place, on 43 points, with Batley and Whitehaven on 42.

The final day wasn’t short of controversy even before the games kicked-off, given that Batley recently had three points deducted for fielding an ineligible player, only to have it re-instated on appeal.

Had that decision stood, the Bulldogs would have been relegated, but instead they will now take on Sheffield in the first round of the Championship play-offs next week.