Danville: "We're Not Far Away" Ahead of Kippax Welfare Test

Skirlaugh head coach Matt Danville believes his side's narrow defeat to Newsome Panthers showed once again that they can compete with anyone in the division, as attention now turns to this weekend's trip to Kippax Welfare.

Despite coming away empty-handed following a closely contested encounter against the Panthers, Danville was encouraged by many aspects of the performance and believes the signs remain positive for his side.

"It was obviously disappointing to come away with nothing because we felt we'd done enough to be right in the contest," said Danville. "Looking back, there were plenty of positives in terms of our effort, attitude and how we stuck to the game plan for long periods. Ultimately, a few key moments went against us, and against good sides you get punished for that."

Skirlaugh showed tremendous resilience throughout the contest, particularly after falling behind during the first half. The visitors responded impressively and at one stage held an 18-12 lead against a Newsome side boasting an unbeaten home record.

Danville was delighted with the character shown by his players.

"I was really proud of them. It would've been easy for heads to drop, especially away from home against a side with a strong record, but they dug in and showed plenty of resilience. We kept believing in what we were doing, defended our line brilliantly at times and gave ourselves every chance of getting something from the game."

The performance reinforced the coach's confidence that his squad belongs among the division's leading sides.

"We've always believed we've got a group capable of competing with anybody when we're at our best. Last week showed that again. We weren't overawed by the occasion or the opposition – we took the game to them. The challenge now is making sure those performances become results because that's ultimately what the league table reflects."

Two players who stood out once again were Marcus Hall and Keane Dearlove, both earning recognition for their performances. Danville praised the pair for setting standards at opposite ends of the age spectrum.

"Marcus brings experience, composure and leadership. He's someone the younger lads naturally look up to because of the standards he sets every week. Keane is at the other end of the scale – he's young, enthusiastic, tough as granite and plays without fear. Seeing both of them recognised shows that age doesn't matter if you're putting in the work and performing."

Following the disappointment of last weekend, the focus in training has been on addressing the small details that can make a significant difference.

"We've focused on tidying up some of the things that cost us – our discipline, completing our sets and being a little more clinical when we create opportunities. The attitude has been excellent, and everyone's looking forward to putting things right this weekend."

Next up is a challenging away fixture against Kippax Welfare, a side Danville expects to provide a stern test on home soil.

"They're a good side who work hard for each other and they'll want to make life difficult for us. Games like this are usually decided by who wins the physical battle, controls field position and limits their errors. If we're disciplined and stick to what we've worked on, we'll give ourselves a great chance."

While pleased with much of last week's display, Danville is targeting greater ruthlessness with the ball and a reduction in errors.

"We created enough chances but probably didn't convert enough pressure into points. We also need to reduce the number of errors and penalties because they give opposition teams opportunities they don't always have to work for."

The bruising contest against Newsome has left a few players carrying knocks, with Makesi David among those unavailable this weekend. Several others are being monitored, while a number of absences due to injury, holidays and international commitments are expected to force more changes than at any point so far this season.

"There are always a few sore bodies after a game like that because the lads put themselves about, but nothing unexpected," Danville explained. "We'll probably have to make more changes than we have so far this season, but we see that as a positive for the lads coming in to prove themselves and keep the shirt in the future."

Despite the disruption, the Skirlaugh boss remains confident in the depth and competitiveness within his squad.

"There's definitely an argument for sticking with the lads because they earned a lot of credit with that performance. At the same time, competition for places is healthy and we'll always pick the team we think gives us the best chance of winning."

As the season enters a crucial phase, Danville knows the importance of turning encouraging displays into valuable league points. While maintaining an unbeaten home record and enjoying a strong start to the campaign, he believes consistency on and off the field will be key to sustaining momentum.

"It's massive. Performances are important because they show what we're capable of, but ultimately rugby league is about picking up points. We know we're not far away, and if we keep producing displays with the same commitment while improving those little details, I'm confident the results will keep coming.

"We've had a fantastic start and an unbeaten home record to keep intact, so it's important now that we keep the consistency in training which will impact our results on the pitch. The key now is making sure we back last week's performance up and start converting those displays into wins."