Town slip up as Thunder snatch late touchdown
Last updated 16:33, Tuesday, 25 March 2008
Gateshead Thunder 26 Workington Town 24: Not a game of two halves but a game of three parts. That sums up yesterday’s defeat at Gateshead Thunder. At least Town got off the mark with a bonus point.
They were brilliant for 10 minutes, but totally all over the place for the remainder of the first half. Town then ran the second half but had given themselves too much to do and the home side won the game with a move that that finished with a blatant forward pass seven minutes from time.
Coach Dave Rotheram must be wondering what he has to do to win a game with the ‘tools’ in his box.
The inspirational Shaun Lunt scored a wonder try only three minutes in after a brilliant offload from prop Matty Tunstall. Carl Forber converted the effort and then added a penalty four minutes later to edge Town 8-0 ahead.
But then the game plan went out of the window, and Gateshead hit back with four first-half tries, three of which were converted.
Jamie Beaumont and Dexter Miller drove close before prop Ryan Benjafield was stopped a metre short in the 10th minute, Thunder’s Graham Stephenson flicking up a Dan Russell grubber for full-back Stuart Kain to go in behind the posts five minutes later. Russell converted and Thunder were back in the game at 8-6.
And the rest of the half belonged to the hosts, Stewart Sanderson (18th minute), Russell (23rd), and Stephenson (37th) rounding off a miserable period for Town. Russell added another two goals for 22-8.
Town did have their moment – Taani Lavulavu dropped the ball over the line and Martyn Wilson failing to hold on to a difficult pass with the line beckoning.
But the second half saw a different Town team take the field. Mark Routledge was forced back to recover a kick through by Russell on the last tackle a minute in, but that’s as near as Thunder got to the Town line for most of the half.
A flowing move from right to left, a minute later, resulted in Dexter Miller putting Jason Mossop over, Forber adding the two for 22-14.
Mark McCully and Shaun Lunt were then both held up over the line, and Town’s pressure paid off in the 53rd minute when Wilson did well to collect a high pass to go in at the corner. Forber’s superb touchline conversion edged Town to within two points at 22-20.
And Town then regained the lead in the 67th minute when Iain Marsh put Routledge free on the right, the centre unselfishly passing inside for Rob Lunt to finish with ease. Forber’s fifth goal from five attempts saw Town 26-22 ahead.
But on Thunder’s first serious attack of the half, in the 73rd minute, sub Matt Barron crossed from close range after collecting Kevin Neighbour’s pass to tie the scores to the delight of the very small home following. Russell added the two to put Thunder 28-26 up.
Town regained Forber’s high kick-off into the wind, Shaun Lunt making good ground, but they were unable to cross the Thunder line for a score that would have won the game at the death.
MATCH FACTS
Thunder: Kain, Wilson, Neighbour, Stephenson, Sanderson, Thorman, Russell, Payne, Smith, Cakacaka, Suka, Knowles, Jamieson. Subs: Clarke, McPhail, Metcalfe, Barron.
Scorers – Tries: Kain (15), Sanderson (18), Russell (23), Stephenson (37), Barron (73). Goals: Russell 4/5
Town: McCully, Blair, Routledge, Mossop, Wilson, R Lunt, Forber, Benjafield, S Lunt, Tunstall, Marsh, Miller Beaumont. Subs: Kmet, Dalton, Burgess, Lavulavu
Scorers - Tries: S Lunt (3), Mossop (42), Wilson (53), R Lunt (67). Goals: Forber 5/5
Penalties for: Thunder 8, Town 7
Referee: Peter Brooke (Leeds)
Attendance: 323
Star Man: Shaun Lunt
