Some Dewsbury Rams players not ready for 'Championship rugby' yet, admits head coach Lee Greenwood

The Rams were 18 points to the good after 30 minutes but conceded two late tries to lose the game in the final minute.

Greenwood was pleased with what he saw in the opening half hour but was less impressed with the display in the final 50 minutes.

He made numerous changes throughout the contest and felt that disrupted the Rams’ rhythm.

“The start of the game was alright. It was a heavy pitch, as you’d expect at this time, and Keighley wanted to make a good impression,” he said.

“I felt that we were pretty dominant in the first half hour and it did look like a Championship team against a League One team.

"It is a friendly and you have got a squad of 20, so there are lads to put on. But it became a bit disjointed when I made those changes.

“Fair play to Keighley, they were the more dominant side for 50 minutes. It could have gone either way at the end.

"I am not really bothered about the result, it is the performance that I am looking at.

"I was pleased before we made any changes. I will need to have a look at it properly to see if it was the individuals or the changes which disrupted it.

“That is what friendlies are for. If I really wanted to win the game I would have done different things.”

Greenwood feels that his side are in a better place than they were 12 months ago.

The Rams chief has been pleased with the attitude shown from his squad in training but admits they may be light on numbers.

He added: “We were really disjointed and had a massive squad this time last year.

“I felt that we weren’t strong enough going into the season despite the amount of numbers.

“We had loan players come in and it just became disrupted and disjointed. Judging from Sunday, I don’t feel that we have quite a strong enough squad.

“I do feel that we have got lads who might not be ready for Championship rugby yet.

“So if you look at it with the guys who are ready, it makes it one hell of a small squad.

“It is different, we are in a better place attitude wise and with the group of blokes we have got.

“The work ethic is better than what it was last year. Whether that transfers into results; you hope it would.

“We are in a better place behind the scenes on the training pitch but it might be that players need to come in and strengthen in certain areas.”