Cougars’ early points blitz is too much for battling Town
Last updated 10:56, Tuesday, 26 February 2008
NORTHERN RAIL CUP: Workington Town 18 Keighley Cougars 22: THE form Workington Town had built up during their games against NL1 opposition Halifax and Haven deserted them for a large period of the first half yesterday. But a spirited fight back almost earned them victory.
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Against NL2 opposition for the first time this season, Town found themselves 18-0 down after only 25 minutes against a very useful Keighley Cougars.
Young NL2 Player of the Year Shaun Lunt announced his return after a four-match ban when he put Mark McCully away on a meandering 30-metre run in the opening exchanges but Cougars then took charge.
A pulverising tackle on Town’s on-loan scrum-half Martin Keavney by Will Cartledge forced the Leigh Centurions half-back to spill the ball. Two plays later, Cougars took the lead. Stand-off Jon Presley took off on a superb run from inside his own half, fobbed off three Town tackles, and then chipped the ball to the left where winger George Raynor collected and touched down.
Richard Knight’s conversion from the touchline gave Keighley a 6-0 lead.
And, two minutes later, they doubled their lead. Tall, rangy centre Knight made the break before chipping the Town defence. The ball bounced awkwardly for McCully and Raynor gathered and fed Knight who put Gavin Duffy over for a well-worked try. Knight added the conversion.
Cougars’ domination at this stage forced Town to drop out from under their own posts for the third time and, after Keavney pulled off a try-saving tackle on Andy Shickell, Gregg Nicholson eased over to see Cougars into an 18-0 lead.
In front of a crowd of 873, Town could have folded. But credit where credit’s due, back they came. With a lot more urgency, Dexter Miller, Ryan Benjafield, Taani Lavulavu and Shaun Lunt made good ground. Benjafield was stopped a metre short, while Carl Forber’s reverse chip fooled the Cougars’ defence but hit the crossbar, Franco Kmet just unable to get control on the try line.
In the closing stages of the half, Benjafield again went close before Lavulavu was pushed back across the whitewash by the Keighley defence. But, on the next play, the ball was spun right and Keavney fed Mark Routledge for his third try in as many games. Forber converted from the touchline on the half-time hooter and Town were back in it at 18-6.
Town continued the second half as they had finished the first, and Knight was on hand to perform a try-saving tackle on Ryan Campbell in the 44th minute.
Jermaine Wray and Shickell set Cougars up for another foray into the Town half, before Campbell, Jamie Beaumont and Matthew Tunstall were halted just short. But Town got their reward when McCully crashed over in the 57th minute, Forber converting to cut the deficit to six points at 18-12.
Shickell was then placed on report for a very high tackle on the motoring Beaumont, before full-back McCully dislocated a finger when tackled by Keighley’s Oliver Pursglove.
The Town physio put the finger back in place to the groans of the crowd, and McCully’s obvious shock, but minutes later Keighley extended their lead. After a quick, flowing move involving James Feather, Dave Norcross went over with ease to make it 22-12 in the 69th minute.
Danny Jones drop goal attempt from under the posts drifted left two minutes later but it was Town who had the final say.
Two minutes from time, Forber fed Keavney who handed Miller the chance to force himself over for the final try of the game. Forber added the two and Town had reduced the gap at 22-18.
But Keighley mastered a nervy final couple of minutes to hang on for their first NRC victory. Town picked up their second bonus point of the competition.
MATCH FACTS
Town: Mark McCully, Ryan Blair, Iain Marsh, Mark Routledge, Jason Mossop, Carl Forber, Martin Keavney, Jamie Beaumont, Shaun Lunt, Matthew Tunstall, James Robinson, Dexter Miller, Robert Lunt. Subs: Franco Kmet, Ryan Campbell, Ryan Benjafield, Taani Lavulavu
Tries: Routledge (40), McCully (57), Miller (78)
Goals: Forber 3/3
Cougars: Gavin Duffy, Sam Gardner, Oliver Pursglove, Richard Knight, George Raylor, Jon Presley, Danny Jones, Andy Shickell, James Feather, Neil Lowe, Will Cartledge, Greg Nicholson, Chris Redfearn. Subs: Jermaine Wray, David Norcross, Brendon Rawlins, Simon Bissell
Tries: Raynor (13), Duffy (15), Nicholson (25), Norcross (69)
Goals: Knight 4/6
Penalties for: Town 11, Cougars 6
Referee: Charlie Nielson (Huddersfield)
Attendance: 873
Star Man: Mark McCully
