A hat-trick from Paul White saw rugby league side Newcastle Thunder relinquish their unbeaten start in Kingstone Press League One as they slipped to a 36-16 defeat to Keighley Cougars, writes Joseph Pearson.

Keighley raced into an 18-point lead and the home side were left chasing the game on a blustery afternoon at Kingston Park.

Thunder head coach Stanley Gene said: “They wanted it more than us. We struggled to control them and we were conceding penalties and missing tackles. It’s a good lesson for us and we’ve got to quickly move on.”

Two late tries in the first half had put Thunder back in the game but a rampant spell from the Cougars in the final ten minutes assured their win.

Thunder conceded three penalties in the first three minutes and Keighley took full advantage to score three early tries.

Gene added: “I was disappointed with our discipline and Kingston Park is our home ground so to concede 36 points is embarrassing for me.

“We started poorly but it could have been 20 or 30 nil at half-time so the boys showed some character and grit.”

Hamish Barnes held off two defenders to open the scoring after just five minutes and two quick tries from Paul White made it 14-0 after just 17 minutes.

Keighley were in total control and extended their lead nine minutes later as full back Jesse Sheriffe went through a gaping hole in Thunder’s defence to make it 18-0.

The game looked to be getting away from Thunder but two tries in five minutes before half -ime put them right back in it.

Jason Tali scored with a brilliant individual effort and the deficit was reduced further to just six points as Jordan Meads dummied and broke through before going straight over Keighley full-back Sheriffe to touchdown.

Benn Hardcastle converted both tries which meant Keighley only led 18-12 at half-time despite having dominating most of the first half.

Try scoring chances were few and far between in the first quarter of the second half as defences were on top.

Danny Jones kicked the first points of the half with a penalty goal from in front of the sticks to make it 20-12 to Keighley on 56 minutes after Thunder conceded back to back penalties.

Josh Feather dived over on 72 minutes to put the game beyond Thunder and Jones’ conversion made it 26-12 with just eight minutes remaining.

Feather then turned provider as he ran through Thunder’s ragged defence before finding White out wide who crossed for his hat-trick.

Meads scored his second try of the game to make it 32-16 with a minute to go but Keighley’s player-head coach Paul March had the final say as he gathered from the following kick-off and scored in the corner.

Gene added: “It’s good because some of the boys are thinking they’re already there but it’s only the third game. It brings the boys back on the ground and we’ll start re-focusing for the Rochdale game.”