KEIGHLEY have a Yorkshire knockout competition record that will surely never be matched.

In the 1947-48 season, they, then known as Keighlians, remarkably won both the Yorkshire Shield and Yorkshire Cup, bearing in mind that in those days clubs could progress from one to the other if they reached the latter stages.

Sheffield were defeated 17-0 in the Shield final at Otley, while the latter were defeated 14-6 in the Cup final at Skipton, leading to the Keighley team being paraded around their town on an open-top bus.

No club has equalled that feat or is even likely to now it is a case of them entering one or the other with no progression between them.

Since those heady days, Keighley have reached the Shield semi-finals four times, losing to Yarnbury 19-16 in 2001-02, Malton & Norton 14-12 in 2003-04, Sheffield Tigers 26-10 in 2004-05 and Bradford & Bingley 20-16 in 2014-15.

Now Keighley have the chance to make it fifth time lucky – against either Bradford Salem, West Leeds or Wensleydale.

After last season’s competition, won by Baildon against Salem on a sunny May day in Doncaster in what sadly proved to be the only match played in the competition, spectators and players were just glad that Leodiensian were facing Keighley at Rose Cottage, with Salem and Wensleydale also winning on the field, whereas West Leeds were handed a walkover by Ripon, making it seven concessions in 12 matches so far.

Both Leos and Keighley were, understandably, fielding a mixture of first and second teamers, with Keighley handing debuts to winger Lewis Hutchinson, fly half Fin Meegan and replacement prop Lucas Evans.

It was soon obvious that Keighley, who named their first-choice front row of Craig Spencer, Declan Hampson and Sam Booker, had clear superiority in the scrums.

After home flanker Jack Gallagher had knocked on in the act of attempting to score a try, there was to be no reprieve for the visitors as Booker muscled his way over in the sixth minute for Meegan to convert.

But, in a pattern that was to be repeated for all of a crisp afternoon, Leos responded well, with great footwork and an offload enabling Joe Ramsden to put skipper Jack Haire over on the left.

Keighley’s second try on 18 minutes came from a five-metre scrum, with Hampson scoring after several phases, with man-of-the-match Meegan again adding the extras.

Leos then caught Keighley napping from a tap and go close to the home line, with No 8 Andrew Skelton forcing his way over, with Haire again missing the goal kick.

Keighley were now leading 14-10 after 22 minutes, but Leos were reduced to 14 men three minutes later when prop Adam Passingham was sin-binned by referee Josh Walker (South Yorkshire Society) after a previous scrum warning.

The visitors brought on prop Simon Dowling, sacrificing flanker Charlie Clark, and Keighley extended their lead with a Meegan penalty on 31 minutes after Leos were off their feet.

Lock Jordan Yaxley stopped one Leos attack at source by nicking a line-out, and the visitors survived dropping out from their goal-line before Keighley winger Allan Ebbrell prevented an injury-time try with a tackle in their right-hand corner.

Both sides rang the changes at half-time, but it was Keighley who scored first, with Meegan putting over a penalty in the 43rd minute to make it 20-10.

Then good continuity and patience led to the hosts’ third try seven minutes later, finished off by centre Jack Wild, with Meegan again converting.

Dowling, whose efforts belied his grey hair, then scored a 53rd-minute try which replacement Ed Farmer improved.

Evans showed great pace in breakaway efforts either side of Leos bombing a try chance with a forward pass virtually on the Keighley line.

However, a fourth try put them back in it at 27-22, scored in the 72nd minute by Fowler after a break by winger Frank Price.

Leos hooker Owen McGowan was incensed to be yellow carded five minutes later for a deliberate knock-on when he was adamant that the ball had travelled backwards.

Meegan missed with that penalty but made amends in the 78th minute with a kick that was more central.

However, the players and spectators could soon head inside for the warmth of the changing rooms or clubhouse as little or no injury time was played.

Keighley’s head coach Danny McGee admitted: “We want to have as much rugby down here as we can, so we wanted a cup run, and this was really pleasing.

“Some lads pulled out because of injuries, some pulled out because of other commitments so it gave us an opportunity to give some lads who have been on the fringe some first XV rugby, and they have all performed.

“I was pleased with Evans, Sam Blakeley and Meegan, and it is great to have a 10 coming through because Alex Brown is currently injured.”

McGee added: “The concession of tries after we have scored was down to a bit of inexperience – not putting pressure on them after we have scored. We didn’t execute very well and found ourselves under our posts, but we deserved the win.”

Keighley return to Counties One Yorkshire league action on Saturday at home to Harrogate Pythons (2.00).