In the end it proved a game too far for a patched up Workington Town side who succumbed to intense Swinton Lions pressure at the end of the Championship decider.

But make no bones about it, this was not a one-sided game and Workington gave their all in tough circumstances, playing with just one real sub for the entirety of the game.

The result was in doubt until the final 10 minutes as Town began to tire and Swinton just upped their game slightly but this was a performance for Workington to be proud of.

Going into this game they were always the underdogs, missing key players through injury and holidays, plus players on the bench only fit enough for a very short stints.

They tested the Championship side throughout, with a strong vocal following behind them and they rattled the cages of the Swinton Lions at times.

Town were put under some early pressure when they gave away a penalty and Swinton were on the hunt in the Workington half.

The home side whipped the ball out to the right where only some superb defending kept Ryan Gray out and then held up Rhodri Lloyd.

But the first blood went to Swinton and again it was a penalty that allowed them into the danger zone and it was hooker Luke Waterworth who burrowed his way over, with Jack Hansen adding the extras for a 6-0 lead.

But Town had the right answer as on the next play Swinton slipped up and handed Town a scrum 20-metres out. They began to fling the ball about and a cutout pass found winger Joe Hambley who dived in at the corner.

Carl Forber began the day well, slotting the resulting two-pointer over from the touchline, much to the delight of the vocal travelling support.

Swinton's Gray slipped up with a knock-on inside his own half and a second penalty shortly after saw the touchline call to take the two-points on offer which Forber duly obliged to put the visitors in the lead for the first time at 8-6.

A patched up skipper Ollie Wilkes joined the fray and Town were looking to keep up the momentum when Swinton switched gears and upped the pressure.

A little grubber kick was fumbled over the line by Tyllar Mellor and Waterworth reacted quickly to pounce on it and score his second of the afternoon. But the kick was missed to leave Swinton just two points ahead.

It turned into a real arm wrestle for the next 10 minutes with neither side giving quarter and it was Workington who saw a try go begging.

Kurt Maudling did the hard work as he found the gap in the Lions defence but then knocked on with the line seemingly at his mercy with just one defender ahead of him.

And Swinton broke to the opposite end with Town having to scramble back quickly to defend, but they did in numbers.

The try of the game came with around five minutes left on the clock, Scott Rooke flying in behind the posts after a great move that began with Forber jinking his way through the defence.

The ball was flung quickly out to the supporting Kurt Maudling and he charged forward drawing in the defence before slipping the pass to winger Rooke who crossed the line and had time to fly in behind the posts, leaving Forber an easy conversion for Town to regain the lead at 14-10

But just before the break, Swinton got a second attacking set and they made it count, using the ball well to get it out to Rhodri Lloyd to cross out on the far right, levelling the game.

And the kick from Hansen put the home side into a slender lead as the hooter sounded for the break with Swinton leading 16-14.

Swinton came out for the second half all fired up and forced to goal-line drop-outs in succession as they peppered the Town try line but the defence held out.

And when they saw their chance they raced to the opposite end of the field. A great break from Tyler Dickinson saw him hauled down just short and when Swinton tried to hang on to him the ref awarded the penalty.

But Town just couldn't make the field possession count as the ball came loose as Dawson took a charge at the line.

Swinton switched quickly to the left and it took a last gasp tackle from Mellor and Forber to bring down George Tyson and the Lions then proved their own worst enemy when they knocked on just after, relieving the pressure on Town.

A neat little grubber gfrom the boot of Doran put Swinton under the cosh and Town forced a drop-out as the travelling army of fans roared their support.

And it seemed to lift the players as they kept the ball alive well and had Swinton on the hop as they changed direction with Forber and Doran shooting long passes across the field.

Doran then came back into the middle of the field, jinking through looking for a gap, when he saw the run of Mellor who skipped over one tackle and dived over the line, Forber converting for 20-16.

Both sides looked vulnerable at times and play swung once more in Swinton's favour when a high bomb was fumbled and Josh Woods was quickest to react to put it down.

But the touchline conversion went wide of its target and the game was all square at 20-20 with the result completely in doubt.

A former Workington player hit them with a killer blow with 15 minutes left on the clock as Kyle Shelford looked to scramble out of a tackle and along the floor to touch down, with Hansen adding the extra two points to give the home side the lead at 26-20.

As the clock began to tick down Swinton looked to try and make sure of the game but a drop-goal effort drifted just wide of the posts.

But with just four minutes remaining Josh Woods broke Workington hearts with a one-pointer that sealed the game for Swinton.

A battered and bruised Workington side, undermanned throughout, tried all they had to fight back, Olstrom pulling off a try saving tackle on Craig Mullen.

But in the end they couldn't hold out Swinton, with Lloyd getting his second of the afternoon, Hansen converting.

Town gave it their all to the final whistle, with Rooke held up inches short but it was Swinton who took the game and will remain in the Championship next season with a 33-20 scoreline, that did flatter the home side in the end.