Workington Town 38, South Wales Scorpions 24
 
Playing well for 40 minutes and then forgetting the basics in the second-half has been a major problem for Town this season.

This was more like it, virtually sustaining the effort, determination and application for the whole game and producing their best performance of the season to avenge a narrow defeat in South Wales early in the season.
 
With both teams contesting a play-off spot this was a crucial victory for the Cumbrians which also had the added effect of denying heir visitors a bonus point.
 
Town’s joint coach Gary Charlton is hard to please but he said afterwards: “That was more like it for 80 minutes, something we have been trying to drive home all season.
 
“Too many times in the past we have lost concentration and done silly things at crucial times and although there were a couple of spells when we didn’t help ourselves I thought we came back well to win convincingly.
 
“As we keep saying to the players if they put it in as they are capable of there is every chance we will stay in the play-off berths which was our target from day one.”
 
The pleasing thing from Charlton’s point of view was that his team bossed the game from virtually the first whistle, although they could only manage two successful Darren Holt penalties in the first eleven minutes.
 
The Scorpions just couldn’t establish any decent territory on which to build and with very little quality possession they were continually on the back foot.
 
The opening try cane on 18 minutes after some strong pressure by Town. Holt supplied the perfect flat pass for Kris Coward to race onto and his strength and momentum did the rest from five metres. Holt added the extras.
 
Jarrad Stack, Paddy Coupar (pictured above) and Coward were all big performers in the opening quarter for Town as they stayed in charge until the Scorpions enjoyed their best spell of possession in the whole game.
 
It brought dividends on 32 minutes when Loz Wildbore managed to shrug aside the attentions of three Town tacklers near the line, twisted and turned with effect, and got the ball down. He added the conversion himself.
 
It was just the spark South Wales needed and with Andrew Gay coming more into the game they looked dangerous for the first time in the game.
 
However, Holt’s brilliant 40-20 helped turn the tide an after a spell on the South Wales lines, Jamie Marshall wriggled through and burrowed over the line from short range. Holt’s conversion made Charlton’s interval team talk a little easier at 16-6.
 
South Wales showed plenty of desire on the resumption and moved the ball with more zip and purpose but Town’s defence held firm.
 
It as Workington who put the first points on the board in the second-half, and it was a smashing score as well. Paddy Coupar made a strong run to set-up he position and the ball as moved quickly before Scott Kaighan finished-off with a smart try which Holt converted.
 
When Town scored again four minutes later, again through good handling and clever running in the final quarter of the field, it looked over. Brett Carter burst over to score and although Holt missed the conversion attempt a 26-6 lead looked secure.
 
But with both defences apparently feeling the heat, not just from the opposition but from the conditions, the Scorpions scored again as Steve Parry wriggled over from acting half-back for a try which Wildbore converted.
 
It was getting to look as though either team could score whenever they attacked and when Town moved the ball smartly to the right Mike Whitehead ploughed through before putting Aaron Low in for a try which Holt converted from the touchline.
 
Then two tries in the space of five minutes for the Scorpions handed them an apparent lifeline. First Gay stepped-out of some weak tackling near the line to score and then Aled James managed to stretch out when he was tackled to get the ball over the line. Two Wildbore conversions left the Scorpions eight points in arrears with seven minutes left to play.
 
Somehow it was appropriate that the final try of the game, which ended the Scorpions’ victory hopes, came from loose-forward Coupar who had put in a particularly strong and effective shift at the back of the pack. He got over following more good work by Stack and Holt’s conversion wrapped-up the victory.
 
Town: Carter, Backhouse, Beattie, Low, Frazer, Holt, Kaighan, McGoff, Pedley, Coward, Whitehead, Stack, Coupar. Subs (all used): Marshall,  Robinson,  Johnson, McDonald.

Scorpions: Reece, Bateman, A. James, Roets, Cunningham, Gay, Wildbore,
Mills, Parry, Dallimore, Roach, Phillips, Davies. Subs: (all used): Thackray, Bromilow, Burke, D. James

Man of the Match: Town: Paddy Coupar

Referee: Peter Brooke, Manchester

Crowd: 307

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