MATCH INFORMATION
KEIGHLEY COUGARS v LONDON SKOLARS - BETFRED LEAGUE ONE ROUND THIRTEEN
SATURDAY 22ND MARCH - 3PM KICK OFF
COUGAR PARK - KEIGHLEY - BD21 3RF
REFEREE - MR MICHAEL SMAILL (LEIGH)
ADMISSION:
ADULT - £10
CONCESSIONS - £5
JUNIORS - FREE
LOVERS WANTS THE ROAR
THE Cougar Roar can help stop the rot for Keighley says new head coach Rhys Lovegrove, as he looks to build a younger side.
Cougars host London Skolars on Saturday (3pm kick-off) in Betfred League One looking for a change in their fortunes after five successive defeats.
They are particularly hoping for home comforts after losing their last two league games, both on the road, at Hunslet and Oldham Roughyeds, scoring just four points and shipping 62 in the two matches.
Lovegrove, 32, hopes the return to home soil, and his first match in charge in front of the Cougars faithful, can laid the foundations for an improvement as they stay bottom on -1 points.
The Australian lost his first game in charge at Oldham 28-4 last Sunday but says he was encouraged by the performance.
But he is already looking to bring young players through at the club and praised the performance of Jordan Aitchison, who he called up from the reserves for the trip to the North West.
Lovegrove said: "I'm starting the job by taking it a week at a time.
"I have a fairly defined way that I want the team to play. I want to see which players I can teach and develop.
"I want to give players opportunities to score, especially wingers, that's what they get paid for.
"The fans have been great and the players have been great. I am really looking forward to Saturday and the players showing the fans how hard they have been working in training.
"I have really been pushing the players hard in training over the last few weeks, I have been asking for more from them.
"I don't believe winning games should be the focus. We teach our players certain aspects of the game that they can apply. The outcome will then be that we win games.
"I have a long-term plan. We have got to make sure that we learn from every single experience. Every time we go out on the field we've got to be a little bit better.
"My ethos is I want to have a young, exciting team, with some experienced players to help nurture these kids.
"I don't want a team full of journeymen. If you're a player over 23 or 24 you'd better bring something like leadership to help bring us through. I would much rather do that.
"'Buster' Feather has been killing it for us this season, but his value is what he is doing for the players around him. My job is to teach players well.
"We're on a poor run, but we've got a little bit better each week. We have been playing all of the top teams lately."
TEAM NEWS
Rhys Lovegrove has made four changes to the 19 man squad that was defeated at Oldham last weekend.
Dan Parker is forced to miss out this week as a result of the clause placed into his transfer agreement from the Skolars to Keighley earlier in the season.
Louis Sheriff, Davey Dixon and Cain Crotty are the other three men from last week's squad to miss out for the visit of London.
Will Cooke (Ribs) and Benn Hardcastle (Concussion) both return from injury after sitting out the defeat last Sunday.
Spencer Darley, who joined on loan from Featherstone this week, also comes into the 19 man squad with Jordan Parry brought in for the first time after spending the majority of the season so far in the reserves.
COUGARS: Aitchison; Bailey; Cooke; Coventry; Cullimore; Darley; Feather; Hallett; Hardcastle; Horn; Lynam; Miller; Muranka; Parry; Seeley; Thackray; Welham; Wray; Wright.
Skolars Head Coach Jermaine Coleman has made 5 changes from the side that defeated the West Wales Raiders in the capital last weekend.
Coleman brings himself into the 19 man squad as well as re-introducing Eddie Mbarga, Omari Caro and Robert Tuliatu into his side.
He also welcomes Matthew Davies into the team on dual-registration from the London Broncos, one of two Broncos in the side with the other being Daniel Hindsmarsh-Takyi.
Tommy Chipchase, who is away on international duty with the Ireland Students, is one of those who drops out of the side from last Saturday's victory.
Will Martin, Michael Sykes, Richard Wilkinson and Wigan loanee Craig Mullen are the other four to miss out from last weekend.
The Skolars do boast two former Cougars in their ranks with Jy-Mel Coleman and Matt Ross both returning to Cougar Park in London colours on Saturday.
SKOLARS: Barran; Bishay; Bryan; Caro; Jermaine Coleman; Jy-Mel Coleman; Davies; J Greenhalgh; M Greenhalgh; Hindmarsh-Takyi; Jennings; Juma; Macani; Mbarga; Ross; Scott; Thorman; Tuliatu; Williams.
RED AND WHITE PHOENIX
Tomorrow afternoon sees a former Keighley Cougars player join us for the visit of the London Skolars as a special guest.
Keith Pollard wrote his own life story following the death of his son Jason through illness in Italy to help raise money for a support group for the illness of which his son sadly passed away from.
Jason died of the disease aged 41 after being diagnosed following a spell working abroad in Singapore and sadly lost his battle just 12 weeks after being diagnosed.
Keith is receiving his club heritage number from club historian John Pitchford at Cougar Park this afternoon and the board of directors here at Cougar Park are proud to support Keith and help raise funds by promoting the sale of his book.
The book is titled the ‘Red and White Phoenix, the adventures of a Hessle Road lad’ and is on sale now through the Riverhead Books website or through the Hull Kingston Rovers online club shop.
The club will be doing this by promoting Keith’s book through the club’s social media channels so please keep your eyes peeled!
GAME TO BE STREAMED ON OURLEAGUE
Tomorrow's game is being streamed live courtesy of OuRLeague.
If you are unable to attend the game you can watch via the OuRLeague app, Twitch or Betfred's Facebook and Twitter channels.
You can sign up for OuRLeague through the RFL website or by downloading the OuRLeague app.
By signing up for OuRLeague and choosing the Keighley Cougars as your club you are helping the club and also earning yourself access to special offers exclusive to members.
The commentary team for tomorrow's game is Dave Parkinson and Leon Pryce.