Workington Town are just two points behind Swinton Lions in what has been a battle royal in the first half of this Championship decider.

The lead has changed hands several times with neither side wanting to lose this clash, with a place in the Championship up for grabs for the winner.

At the hooter, it is the home side just ahead at 16-14 but there is not much to choose between the two sides.

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.