Workington Town 30, Keighley Cougars 30

Workington Town scraped a draw against a tenacious Keighley Cougars side to stay in contention for the League 1 top eight at Derwent Park.

Barring disastrous results on the final weekend, Town should be up there in the second half of the season.

But they will have to learn how to close a game out better than they did against Keighley.

Town were 22-4 ahead at the break and should have shown a clean pair of heels to their visitors.

But instead, a Keighley side reduced to 12-men and inspired by the returning Ritchie Hawkyard, clawed their way back and nearly won the game in the final seconds.

Workington, in the first half, were well on top and producing some good flowing rugby, with Keighley barely seeming to trouble them.

But it was a different story in the second half as errors crept into the home side's game and they gifted their opponents field position and possession too often.

They couldn't seem to handle Hawkyard, who created opportunities across the park and a revitalised Keighley took them all to level the game at 26-all with 10 minutes remaining.

A superb try from Tee Ritson out wide put Town back ahead but again they pressed self destruct and gave away a penalty in the last minute of the game.

Keighley did not disappoint their fans as they struck back to score in the corner, leaving Matty Beharrell a kick to win the game.

Town fans could breathe a sigh of relief when the half-back missed which meant the points were shared and both sides live to fight another day.

But Workington will hope they will not live to rue the point they lost.

Town had got the first points on the board as a neat little kick from Carl Forber had the Keighley defence scrambling.

As Cougars full-back Harry Aaronson took his time, Joe Hambley raced in to pick up the ball and stretch over the line. Forber tagged on the extras.

They extended their advantage when Tee Ritson popped up a quick ball to Gabriel Fell and he raced down the touchline and dived for the corner flag.

Forber's attempt at a conversion from the touchline didn't quite make it but Town had a 10-0 lead.

Unfortunately for the home side they had a kick charged down and Aidan Scully was quick to race away, a key tackle from Ritson stopping him in his tracks.

But it didn't stop their momentum as they got down to the left corner and Andrew Gabriel got over the line, but the conversion didn't reach the target.

Both teams were then down to 12-men as Tom Curwen and Brendan Rawlins were sent to the sin bin after an altercation after the tackle.

But Town took advantage of the penalty they received and Jamie Doran dodged and weaved his way through the last line of defence to force his way over the line.

Keighley knocked on at the play-the-ball and the ref was quick to spot it. And from the resulting scrum it was the in-form Doran who again took on the defence and crossed the whitewash.

Forber tagged on both sets of extras and Town widened the gap to 22-4.

Just before the break a great tackle from Jason Mossop caused Joshua Lynham to drop the ball and defuse any more danger before half time, leaving Town in the ascendancy at 22-4.

Keighley come back out in the second half straight on the attack and it paid off as Ritchie Hawkyard, in his first match back since Good Friday, danced over, with Matty Beharrell converting.

But they were then set to spend the remainder of the half with just 12 men as Brad Nicholson got his marching orders for punching.

Town had a great chance when Conor Fitzsimmons collected a short kick and got away in space.

Keighley tracked back and stopped him on their own 40-metre line. Danny Rasool went close but then a cross field kick from Howarth sailed over the head of winger Fell and into touch.

And despite their numerical disadvantage Keighley came back into the game with their third try.

Matty Beharrell popped a little ball out of the tackle near the try line and Sean Kelly was supporting to go over the line but the conversion was missed.

And just three minutes later Kelly was over again near the posts from short range, leaving Beharrell an easy two-pointer as they moved to within two points of their hosts at 22-20.

Town got a penalty near Keighley's line and moved back in front. Stuart Howarth threw a great cut out pass to winger Hambley and he dived for the corner to score. The conversion was missed.

Then they seemed to press the self destruct button as they struggled to deal with the pace of Hawkyard.

The little general broke through the home defence and then got the pass out to the charging Adam Ryder and he crossed wide out.

Beharrell kept his cool to add the extras from the touchline to level matters at 26-26.

Tee Ritson gave the home side hope when he created something from nothing and danced through the Keighley defence to score in the corner but Forber missed the kick from the touchline.

And then, with just a minute remaining, Town gave away a penalty inside the Keighley half.

The Cougars saw their opportunity and Beharrell got the ball away to Andrew Gabriel, the winger crossing in the corner.

The crowd held their breath as the hooter sounded and Beharrell looked to win the game with the boot but, much to the relief of the home faithful, it missed the target and the game was drawn at 30-30.

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

Tries: Hambley 5, 67, Fell 13, Doran 23, 27, Ritson 73.

Goals: Forber 3/6.

Yellow card: Curwen 22.

Keighley: Aaronson, Dixon, Scully, Ryder, Gabriel, Brook, Beharrell, Rawlins, Kelly, Bailey, Sagar, Whittel, Emmett. Subs (all used): Lynam, Conroy, Hawkyard, Nicholson.

Tries: Gabriel 18, 79, Hawkyard 42, Kelly 61, 64, Ryder 70.

Goals: Beharell 3/6

Sin bin: Rawlins 22.

Sent-off: Nicholson 53.

Referee: Stephen Race (Wakefield).

Half time: 22-4

Penalties: 11-10

Crowd: 581.

Star Man: Jamie Doran