Grim day as Town lose out to Hawks
Last updated 13:53, Monday, 23 June 2008
Workington Town 20 Hunslet Hawks 23: Town blew a golden chance to consolidate their NL2 play-off place yesterday as they slumped to their most disappointing defeat of the season.
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Hunslet went in to the game with just one league win from 12 and, on paper, the weakest attack in the division.
They were hammered 66-10 at home by Oldham last week and their only realistic aim this year must be to avoid the wooden spoon.
Yet on home turf, Town, who should have had everything to play for, could not match their desire to scrap for the three points in the atrocious conditions.
There was little wrong with Town’s starting front-row of Dean Burgess, Chris Young and two-try Shaun Lunt.
And No 1 Jay Duffy was once again solid at the back. But there were few other positives to takes out of a grim day for Town.
Hunslet’s long-range winning try looked highly-suspect, with winger Scott Childs appearing to knock on as he gathered a loose ball. But the touch judge, on the spot, was happy for the try to stand.
In any case, Workington should not have to rely on the officials against the likes of Hunslet, who grew in confidence as the game progressed, after realising the hosts were having an off day of epic proportions.
Burgess and Lunt made early inroads, but it was the visitors who snatched a ninth-minute lead.
Centre Danny Cook barged over, despite Bryce Poisel’s best efforts on his try line.
Five minutes later Town struck back, centre Mark McCully taking Lunt’s long pass to score.
Hunslet showed their passing ability on 20 minutes, hooker Jonny Wainhouse completing a neat three-man move to cross between the sticks, Stuart Young converting.
The Hawks fumbled the re-start and Town then lost the ball directly from the scrum in a great attacking position, as the high wind caused havoc.
Lunt read the wind at his back perfectly, however, as he booted a 40-10 kick to set up another attack.
McCully looked to have few options as he charged for the line from the resulting possession. But he found Stephen Dawes for the winger to squeeze over in the corner.
Scrum-half Poisel cut loose on the next set only to slip on the greasy surface and his pass went forward as he tumbled to the turf.
Ex-Dewsbury ace Richard Chapman was soon in the thick of the action after being introduced off the Hunslet bench, and on 34 minutes he was held up over the Town line.
Duffy defused the danger at the end of the set, but winger Martyn Wilson was then dispossessed by Stuart Young deep in his own half.
And Chapman put Childs in at the corner to put his team 14-8 up.
Workington looked certain to go in to the break in arrears until Lunt once again stepped up, darting over from close range.
Forber’s conversion ensured parity at the interval. The scoreline was a fair reflection of the half.
Though given that Hunslet held Oldham to 18-10 at half-time, before caving in, allied to Town’s second-half superiority over Blackpool last week, the hosts might have been expected to take charge in the second period. But it was not to be, the Leeds outfit making the most of the wind at their backs.
Chapman’s attempted penalty goal from half-way on 51 minutes had the distance but strayed wide, while a later drop-goal attempt met the same fate.
The wind was again a factor on 55 minutes when the Hawks regained the initiative.
Forber’s chip caught a gust and the ball blew backwards, with Childs picking up, after seeming to knock-on, and going around 80 metres for a try.
Chapman adding the extras, and soon after Dawes and Hunslet second-row Jamie Bovill were sin-binned for fighting, he slotted a drop-goal.
Chapman’s high shot on Lunt as the hooker scooted from dummy-half earned the hosts a set deep in hostile territory.
And Lunt then weaved through heavy traffic on 69 minutes to give his team a chance of victory, especially after Forber’s conversion reduced the deficit to one point.
With just three minutes left on the clock, Chapman slotted a penalty, yet Town could still have won it in the closing moments.
Jason Mossop gathered Town’s restart and the hosts made a desperate bid to score. Dawes did his best after Lunt opted for a short-side last-tackle play but was held one metre out.
Hunslet players jumped for joy on the final whistle, and given their battling effort, it was difficult to begrudge them the three points.
MATCH FACTS
Town: Duffy, Dawes, McCully, Mossop, Wilson, Forber, Poisel, Young, Lunt, Burgess, Campbell, Marsh, Smith. Subs: Kmet, Tunstall, Robinson, Benjafield
Tries: McCully, Dawes, Lunt 2; Goals: Forber 2
Hawks: Larvin, Aitken, Robinson, Cook, Childs, Moxon, Hasty, Freeman, Wainhouse, Walkin, Bovill, Blanchard, Young. Subs: Chapman, Gunney, Lanton, Thewliss
Tries: Cook, Wainhouse, Childs 2; Goals: Young 1, Chapman 2 plus 1 drop-goal
Referee: Gareth Hewer
Attendance: 507
Star Man: Shaun Lunt
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