Why Hunslet coach Alan Kilshaw is encouraged by Challenge Cup win

The Parksiders, with more than half the team on debut, kicked off by beating Betfred League One rivals Keighley Cougars 22-6 in the Challenge Cup second round.

The visitors are expected to be among Hunslet’s rivals for promotion this year and the result was a huge boost to the confidence of Kilshaw’s young side.

“I was pleased with the outcome, especially in a Cup game,” Kilshaw said.

“There was a bit of the unknown and a bit of anxiety around it because we had 10 debuts, it was a very young side and we hadn’t played together before - then we lost Wayne Reittie in the warm-up with a bad back.

“The way the lads responded to that was very pleasing.

“Joe Panga went in and played on the wing, which he had not done before, and he can hold his head up high.

“Little things like that typified the spirit and the performance.”

Kilshaw admitted Hunslet were “very scratchy” in the first half, but was delighted with how they stepped up their game after the break.

He said: “Our decision-making and game management was poor and we invited a lot of pressure on to ourselves with the stuff we did with the ball.

“But the positive around that was we defended very well and to only concede one try was good for us.

“In the second half we were much better and that’s another positive thing, that they can respond to some constructive feedback and go out in the second half and put in a performance like that.”

Hunslet face Leeds Rhinos in the annual Harry Jepson OBE Memorial Trophy tie on Sunday before a return to Cup action the following weekend.

Their league campaign doesn’t begin until March and Kilshaw stressed: “It wouldn’t have been a disaster if we had lost, but we had a lot of young players in their first first-grade game and they came through with a win.

“You can see that spirit growing, it’s great to see and we will get a lot out of it.

“There’s a lot of improvement in us, but the season starts in March and I’m looking forward to getting that improvement because I know it will come.”