Workington Town 16, Hunslet Hawks 30

STILL not firing for 80 minutes in a game, Workington Town recovered from a dreadful start but still couldn’t peg back the surprise Co-operative Championship One leaders.

Some poor discipline and some shoddy tackling combined to gift Hunslet an 18-0 lead with just a little over a quarter of the game gone.

Two tries inside four minutes gave Town some momentum before half-time but the next score on the resumption went Hunslet’s way and they again outscored the Cumbrians in the second-half.

“I don’t know what it is but we just can’t seem to put a consistent 80 minutes together. We spoke about giving away needless penalties but I’m afraid ill-discipline cost us and some of our tackling early in the game was very poor,” said joint coach Martin Oglanby.

Town had been 12-0 in arrears inside six minutes as Hunslet got over twice and David March converted them both.

Hooker Richard Chaopman has been a thorn in Town’s side for years and it didn’t take him long to increase his try-count against the west Cumbrians when he skated past some weak defending to score in the second minute.

Then it was James Houston who also found a gap wide enough to drive a Stagecoach double decker through and he was able to double the Hunslet lead.

Town did have a spell of pressure on the Hunslet line but the Hawks defence was equal to it and the next score was a third Hunslet try on 28 minutes when Paul March skipped through to give brother David his third conversion.

It might have looked as if a long, hard afternoon was in prospect but Town rallied well and two tries in the 34th and 38th minutes gave the home side some momentum.

First it was Liam Finch who hoisted a high ball to the corner and Jarrad Stack did well to palm it down for Aaran Low to stride forward and dive over in the corner. Scott Kaighan added a fine conversion.

Then four minutes later Ryan McDonald produced a storming break when he emerged from a tackle with the ball and although he hadn’t the legs to go from over half-way he made enough ground to make Kaighan’s task in finishing-off that much easier. Kaighan converted and Town were back in contention.

They probably didn’t want to hear the half-time hooter – the sounding of which prompted Hunslet’s player coach Paul March to do a Phil Brown and lecture his players on the field for a while after Town had disappeared own the tunnel.

Whatever he said to his players it had the desired effect for withi9n five minutes of the restart they had scored again. Full-back Nathan Larvin was on hand to take a pass from David March almost on the line and simply touchdown under the posts.

Workington needed a score to stay in the contest and they got it after 57 minutes. Neil Frazer had done well, with Stack in support and when the ball was thrown out to the corner Low swooped to collect and claim his second try of the game. Unfortunately Kaighan’s conversion effort slid wide.

The next score was clearly going to be vital as Hunslet held a 24-16 advantage and it was the visitors who went in for their fifth try –but a controversial one – eleven minutes from the end.

Lain made a little dart to the line and when hem was pulled down his pass inside looked well forward. It was allowed to count, though, as David March picked-up and got the try which he improved for his fifth conversion.

STAR MAN: Full-back Brett Carter, always lively with ball in hand and also did well in defence. Looks to be a young player with class, and one capable of playing at a higher level.

Town: Carter, Backhouse, Beattie, Low, Frazer, L. Finch, Kaighan, Dutton, Marshall, Coward, Whitehead, Stack, Coupar. Subs (all used): McKenna, Robinson, Burgss, McDonald.

Referee: Dave Merrick, Huddersfield

Crowd: 578

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