Workington Town 38, London Skolars 34

All’s well that ends well, or so they say – but for some Workington Town fans this was just too close for comfort.

In a game of fluctuating fortunes Town finally held-on for the points but what had looked to be a comfortable victory turned into a keener contest than anyone imagined at half-time.

Town had opened sheepishly and were 12-0 behind inside 14 minutes, yet when they finally hit their stride they were able to score almost at will and turned that early deficit into a 34-12 lead by half-time.

But they were unable to maintain that momentum and the Skolars had closed to within six points before Town scored again.

Even then it wasn’t finished and when Matt Thomas squeezed over for a converted try the game was down to four points and there were still 13 minutes left to play.

But Town held-on to consolidate their place in the play-offs with just five games left.

Unfortunately – such is the threadbare fixture list in Championship One – Town have to wait a fortnight before they are in action again, this time at York City Knights.

The Skolars had started brightly and Town didn’t help themselves by conceding three early penalties almost on their own line. They couldn’t break out and Sam Gee dived in from acting half-back for the first try which Paul Thorman converted.

There was a lack of intensity about the Workington performance an it was no realm surprise when the Skolars scored their second try on 14 minutes. Again it was Gee who dived over and as Thorman converted thoughts went back to the Skolars shock win at Derwent Park last year.

Then remarkably, in a 20-minute spell, Town scored six tries and had raced into a 34-12 lead at the change round.

Darren Holt created the first try on 17 minutes with a clever kick which bounced off the post protector and Scott Kaighan reacted quickest to touchdown. Holt landed the first of his five conversions from seven attempts.

Holt again caused the problems for Skolars with a deep kick which Smokie Junor couldn’t deal with effectively and new winger Elliot Miller hacked on and over the line before managing to touchdown.

On 24 minutes Town went ahead for the first time when Paddy Coupar twisted and turned out of a tackle near the line to get over.

The Skolars seemed to have lost their way when Town scored again on 27 minutes when Jarrad Stack timed a pass perfectly for centre Aaron Low to take in stride and cut inside before powering past the full-back for a fine try.

On 31 minutes Jack Pedley followed Holt’s lead as an angled kick struck the post protector, caused confusion in the covering defenders and allowed James Robinson to five in and claim the try.

Three minutes before the break Low strode through for his second try and Town went to their half-time cuppa 34-12 to the good.

But very much like the first-half it was the Skolars who started best and on 44 minutes they were over. This time Jason Cook, a player who had interested Messrs Charlton and Oglanby in pre-season, went over for Thorman to convert.

Alarm bells should have been ringing when Jy-Mel Coleman went over twice inside three minutes and at 34-28 the Skolars were right back in contention.

Town at last rallied and a clever kick from Holt for the corner was young Miller get there ahead of his marker to score his second try.

That would have done but there was more torment for Town fans when Thomas forced his way over on 67 minutes and Thorman landed the conversion.

In the end they got no nearer but it certainly wasn’t a convincing win for the west Cumbrians who looked far from play-off material for a large slice of this contest.

Town: Carter, Miller, Beattie, Low, Frazer, Holt, Kaighan, Rhodes, Marshall, Coward, McGoff, Stack, Coupar. Subs (all used): Pedley, Robinson, McAvoy, McDonald.

Referee: Craig Halloran, Dewsbury

Crowd: 411

---

Bookmark with: what are these?