Workington Town 22, Doncaster 21

After a heart-stopping final minute, Workington Town clinched a vital win over Doncaster in the race for the League 1 play-offs.

It was a close game throughout but when Doncaster scored a converted try with two minutes to go, Town fans held their breath hoping that their side could hang on to their one-point lead.

And thanks to some sterling defence they did just that, as the hooter sounded, relief flooded through the ground.

The win moves them up one place in the table to seventh but, with Keighley's defeat at Whitehaven, Town are now just one point behind the Cougars and breathing down Doncaster's neck in the final play-off berth.

The turning point of the game came when Louis Sheriff was sin-binned for a high tackle on Tee Ritson as the youngster looked to split their defence with his pace.

And while Doncaster were down to 12-men, Workington used their man-advantage well to run in three tries and take a lead in at half time.

Despite some wobbles, Town looked to be on top for the majority of the second half and had opened up a seven-point lead before Doncaster struck with a near-fatal final blow.

The bounce of a ball can be the difference between winning and losing in rugby league and so it nearly proved here.

Kieran Cross put in a high kick downfield and followed up, the ball bounced kindly back into his arms and away from the waiting Town defence.

This left him with an easy stroll to the line and when Jack Miller quickly slotted over the conversion, it set up a tense finale which thankfully Town dealt with to take the win.

It was Doncaster who were first on the board as Iafeta Paleaaesina bulldozed his way over from close range taking several Town players with him and Miller converting.

It had been a stop-start opening with several injuries requiring treatment on both sides, Doncaster's Nick Rawsthorne having to leave the field.

When play resumed, Town had their best chance as Ritson was held just short on the far side before a little kick through from Jamie Doran was collected by Doncaster full-back Tom Carr.

He danced through a couple of tackles before being stopped around the 40-metre mark.

But then the referee awarded a penalty for a high tackle which Doncaster chose to kick and Miller duly obliged to extend their lead to 8-0.

Doncaster were nearly away again as a kick from Doran was charged down and Jordie Hedges looked to release Louis Sheriff and the winger was away but the referee pulled them back for a forward pass.

Ritson tied to inject some pace into the Town attack as he took a quick play-the-ball on his own 20-metre line.

But as he looked to take on the Doncaster line Sheriff stretched out an arm and took him down, earning himself a spell in the sin bin for his troubles.

Then, on the 27-minute mark, Town finally got on the scoreboard. Forber put in a crossfield kick towards the far corner.

A Doncaster hand reached it first but couldn't control it and Gabriel Fell was on hand to scoop up the ball and touch down but Forber could not convert from the touchline.

And just four minutes later Town got the leveller, again from Fell as he took a looping pass from Doran and squeezed his way over the line, Forber this time making no mistake to take the lead.

Town were looking sharper and throwing the ball about as they closed in on the Doncaster line once more.

The ball was whipped out to the right where Town had numbers and Macauley Davies charged over the line but Forber's kick went wide of the target.

The last few moments were frantic as Doncaster tried to get back on the scoresheet before half time and as the hooter sounded, Miller stepped up with a drop-goal to narrow the deficit to five points at half time

Town came back out on the attack in the second half and Doncaster handed them another penalty just inside their 40-metre line.

Forber stepped up and struck the ball between the uprights to extend their lead.

But Doncaster had the perfect answer as first Charles Martin was held just short and then Jason Tali burrowed his way over the line on the next tackle to score, with Martin adding the extras and it was game on once again at 16-15.

The next score was looking crucial and it went to the home side as the ball was whipped out right and Perry Singleton came charging onto the ball and over the line.

Forber took his time and slotted over the conversion to give Town some breathing space.

Looking to kill off the game, Doran stepped through the defence and was on his way to the line when he was pulled back by the referee for obstruction.

Then, with two minutes to go, the game opened right back up as the bounce of the ball fell nicely for Kieran Cross and allowed him to wrong foot the Town defence and score.

A Miller conversion brought Doncaster to within one point of their hosts but Town managed to play the game out to secure a vital win.

Town: Ritson, Rasool, Moore, Mossop, Fell, Forber, Doran, Curwen, Howarth, Scholey, B Phillips, Davies, Singleton. Subs (all used): C Phillips, Coward, Fitzsimmons, Maudling.

Tries: Fell 27, 31, Davies 35, Singleton 53

Goals: Forber 3/5

Doncaster: Carr, Sheriff, Rawsthorne, Tali, Doherty, Cross, Miller, Spiers, Wright, Paleaaesina, Muranka, Martin, Green. Subs (all used): Castle, Hedges, Kelly, Thackray.

Tries: Paleaaesina 4, Tali 47, Cross 78

Goals: Miller 4/4

Drop-goals: Miller 1

Referee: Tom Crashley.

Half time: 14-9

Penalties: 15-8

Crowd: 441.

Star Man: Stevie Scholey.