Battling Town stunned as Cougars claw back last-minute touchdown
Last updated 12:32, Monday, 17 March 2008
Keighley Cougars 26 Workington Town 22: DAVE Rotheram's men were robbed of a morale-boosting victory on the eve of their National League Two campaign as they went down to Keighley Cougars 26-22.
But this was a game that an under-strength Town side didn't deserve to lose and only a last-ditch effort from the Cougars prevented Town the victory, sub Wayne Sutcliffe going over in the right-hand corner on the very last play of the game. Player-coach Barry Eaton converted from the touchline to complete the scoring.
Town had weathered the early storm to take a 10-0 lead after 21 minutes.
Strong defence enabled the west Cumbrians to score on their first real attack in the 12th minute, when Jason Mossop fed Carl Forber who put Dexter Miller in for a well-worked try.
After Shaun Lunt had been held up over the line, and Keighley had kicked clear, prop Ryan Benjafield sold a great dummy and made ground before putting in Forber, who improved his own try for 10-0 in the 21st minute.
But a quick move across field by the hosts narrowed the gap four minutes later when Jon Presley and George Raynor combined to put winger Sam Gardner over the whitewash. And Cougars then drew level when, after two full sets on their line, the evergreen Eaton burst over from close range, Richard Knight adding to two.
Town hit back and almost regained the lead in the 35th minute when sub Tyrone Dalton made a good break and kicked ahead, but full-back Raynor beat Martyn Wilson to the touch.
But minutes later Jay Duffy fed Forber who put Ryan Campbell in for a try which Forber converted for a 16-10 half-time advantage.Cougars pegged Town back in the 49th minute when Dan Potter scored but Knight missed an easy conversion to tie the scores again.
Wilson's great 50-metre break came to nothing when Raynor got back to tackle him but two plays later Town were awarded a penalty after Cougars were caught offside. Town ran the ball and it was spun right to Rob Lunt whose tremendous delayed pass put Mark Routledge over the whitewash for 20-14. And a Forber penalty on the Cougars 10-metre line in the 56th minute saw Town open up a deserved eight-point lead.
Dexter Miller, who was tackling like a demon all afternoon, couldn't prevent Raynor crossing in the 59th minute, Knight adding the extras to bring his side to within two points at 22-20, to set up a thrilling last 15 minutes.
Forber made a crunching tackle on Andy Shickell to prevent another try-scoring opportunity, while, at the other end, Matthew Tunstall and Benjafield went close.
But Town lacked the killer instinct when holding a good advantage, something they will have to find again if they are going to be successful this season.
Mark McCully (hip), Taani Lavulavu (groin), Iain Marsh (wrist) and Jamie Beaumont (groin) are all expected to return to the Workington Town side to take on Barrow Raiders at Derwent Park on Friday (kick-off 3pm).
MATCH FACTS
Keighley: Raynor, Gardner, Smith, Potter, Duffy, Presley, Eaton, Shickell, Feather, Bissell, Cartledge, Knight, Redfearn. Subs: Wray, Sutcliffe, Lowe, Rawlins.
Scorers – Tries: Gardner (25), Eaton (31), Potter (49), Raynor (59), Sutcliffe (80).
Goals: Knight 2/5; Eaton 1/1
Town: R Lunt, Blair, Routledge, Mossop, Wilson, Forber, Duffy, Benjafield, S Lunt, D Burgess, Miller, Campbell, Kmet. Subs: S Burgess, Gorman, Tunstall, Dalton.
Scorers – Tries: Miller (12), Forber (21), Campbell (38), Routledge (53).
Goals: Forber 3/5
Penalties for: Cougars 7, Town 10
Referee: Matthew Kidd (Castleford)
Attendance: 896
Star men: Campbell and Miller
