Swinton Lions 30, Workington Town 30

A tense and exciting clash at Sedgley Park saw these play-off contenders share the spoils in what was probably a fair result.

It left Town outside the top seven but within striking distance, and with home games they are capable of winning to get into the shake-up.

Joint coach Gary Charlton said afterwards: “I certainly can’t fault the players again for their effort and commitment. It’s just at times some of it can be misdirected and we keep on having to remind them about the same things week by week.

“Overall I thought it was a game we could have won but it certainly keeps us in the mix and we will now be targeting our remaining home games for victories. Anything we can pick up on the road will be a bonus.”

Probably without the game’s star player, hooker/loose forward Phil Joseph, Swinton would have struggled to stay in contention.

Joseph produced one of the individual performances of the season against Town. Always a handful going forward it’s doubtful if he was ever nailed by the first tackle as he had the strength to keep going through the challenging bodies.

On one occasion he must have evaded seven tackles in a storming run which helped turn defence into attack and it was his strength and power near the line which brought him one of Swinton’s five tries.

But if Swinton had the game star in Joseph, Town’s top man Jarrad Stack was only just behind him as far as influence on his own team’s performance was concerned.

Stack came in for some rough treatment from he Lions but kept going back for more and was rewarded with two tries and plenty of powerful surges to keep his team on the offensive.

As well as his marauding attacking style, Stack is also a key player in defence and both attributes were to the fore at Park Lane.

Charlton and fellow coach Martin Oglanby were also delighted with the contribution from Ruairi McGoff, back for another loan spell at Derwent Park who go through a tremendous amount of hard work. He played for the full 40 minutes from the start and was always willing to make the hard yards.

At the end of a topsy-turvy game, in which the lead chopped and changes, Swinton were indebted to a try four minutes from time by Gavin Dodd, and a superb touchline conversion by the same player, to earn the draw – and the second point which went with it.

There was still time for the Lions to snatch it but some good, scrambling defence by Town held them out and right on the hooter Brett Carter got back to beat Darren Hawkyard to his kick through and boot the ball dead.

Hawkyard had put Swinton ahead on 14 minutes when he was there close in to finish-off from Joseph’s pass after Dana Wilson had made excellent ground down the middle, swatting aside some rather weak Town tackling.

Dodd will look back at the conversion which he missed as being the one that got away and which could have won the game. It was his easiest kick of the six in total and he pulled it wide.

Town had briefly held the lead through a Darren Holt penalty on 11 minutes and it was the veteran former Barrow half-back who restored the lead on 18 minutes.

A clever little chip near the line saw him follow-up smartly to grab the ball and score, adding the conversion for an 8-4 advantage.

Inevitably, it seemed, it was that man Joseph who powered his way over by the posts on 27 minutes and Dodd’s conversion see-sawed Swinton in front at 10-8.

But then in the final seven minutes of the half Town scored twice and were able to go in at the break 18-10 to the good.

First it was Scott Kaighan who danced and weaved his way through for an excellent opportunist score and then right on the break Stack finished-off a smart handling move by flinging himself over the line. Unfortunately Holt’s attempted conversion slid just past the post.

Ten minutes after the re-start, with Joseph leading from the front, Swinton had closed the gap. The hooker slipped a well-timed pass for substitute Gary Hulse to scamper over for the try which Dodd converted.

Some poor tackling by Town allowed Ian Watson to go over and Dodd’s conversion helped them into a 22-18 lead which was soon increased by a Dodd penalty on the hour.

Fifteen minutes from time Jack Pedley, who had been a lively addition to the Workington team, twisted and burrowed his way through to score under the posts and Holt’s successful conversion put the sides level.

For minutes later when Pedley was held down just short of the line Holt stroked over a penalty to edge Town back in front and then on 33 minutes Stack plunged over for his second try after good work by Paddy Coupar.

Crucially Holt’s conversion attempt slid outside off the post.

That just left the door sufficiently ajar for Swinton to squeeze and share the spoils. Good handling along the line eventually released Dodd and he finished off well with a try out wide, and then earned his the draw with a brilliant conversion.

STAR MAN: JARRAD STACK – Despite being targeted by Swinton for special attention he responded superbly and a splendid all-round effort was capped by two well-taken tries.

Workington Town: Carter, Backhouse, Beattie, Low, Frazer, Holt, Kaighan, McGoff, Hewitt, Coward, Whitehead, Stack, Coupar. Subs (all used) Pedley, Robinson, Rhodes, Campbell.

Referee: Matthew Kidd

Crowd: 287

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