Workington registered their first victory in North Lancs-Cumbria at the seventh attempt as they survived a second-half scare to eclipse fellow strugglers Upper Eden 40-24.

The win also finally opens their points account and wipes out the five-point penalty imposed for an administration error from last season.

Despite falling behind after four minutes after a penalty by the visitors, Workington hit back from the restart with the opening try when a well-executed passing sequence ended with Mark Murphy charging over. The conversion was added by debutant Kieran Mewse.

The lead was doubled after 14 minutes after Murphy caught Upper Eden as he scythed through to touch down with Mewse again converting.

Workington were completely bossing the match, especially with Mewse and fellow new boy Grant Reid playing as though they were seasoned veterans and Murphy always in the thick of it.

The hosts increased their advantage on 27 minutes when a successful line-out led to Jack Todhunter hoodwinking the visitors’ defence to coast home in the corner for an unconverted try.

Upper Eden were finally able to get themselves together and managed to provide sturdy resistance as well as provide a few surges into their opponents’ territory themselves, but were undone by clumsy handling and a coherent Zebras backline.

Three minutes into the second half, Workington bagged their second bonus point of the season after Bede O’ Connor was brought down with the try-line at his mercy. He quickly off-loaded to Jonny Howarth, who crashed over the whitewash for Zebras’ fourth try, with Mewse converting.

At 26 - 3 up, it looked as if it was job done - but Workington seemed to take their eye off the ball as Upper Eden began to make dangerous inroads and on 53 minutes scored a converted try.

Far from heeding this early warning, the alarm bells were well and truly set off as Zebras conceded another converted try on the hour and suddenly the deficit was just nine points.

However, Workington composed themselves, worked their way back into the match and ten minutes from time extinguished any hopes of an unlikely defeat when a quality kick from Mewse found Shaun Murphy, who made no mistake by darting in for a well-earned try, converted by Mewse.

Then, with Upper Eden starting to flag, Matt Gorley exploited their tiredness to breeze through to claim Zebras’ sixth try and enable Mewse to nail his fifth conversion.

Deep into stoppage time, the visitors found just enough energy to have the last word as they scored a converted try.

Aspatria harvested another massive try haul as they grabbed 11 against Hawcoat Park to run out 73-10 winners.

For the first ten minutes of the game Hawcoat Park controlled possession with an impressive display of ball control from the forwards. Park should have taken an early lead when a straight-forward penalty rattled off the post but on six minutes they did register from a second penalty attempt.

After the initially flurry from the visitors Aspatria began to exploit space down both the right and left flanks but it was forward power that earned the first try.

From a penalty, a catch and drive was instigated on the five metre line and the ball was taken over by hooker Ali Randall. Jack Clegg converted the first of his nine goals.

Play now swung decisively in Aspatria’s favour. A powerful drive upfield from the home forwards tore holes in the Park defensive structure and when the ball was released to inside centre, Dan Rooney, he was able to crash through some last ditch tackles.

Home scores began to flow at regular intervals. The next two involved combinations between full back Liam Vickers and left wing Scott Rooke as each made a try for the other.

Aspatria were well in charge at 26-3 but on 30 minutes, Aspatria’s second row Mark Beverley was yellow carded for a poorly timed tackle and this set-up Park for another positive spell of play. They fully exploited Aspatria’s man shortage and scored a converted try.

Aspatria established their dominance with the final play of the first half. A superb sleight of hand by prop, Ian McDowell put number eight Gary Hodgson in at the corner.

A 33-10 interval lead was soon extended when Rooney’s powerful, direct running proved too much for the Park defenders and he went in for his second try.

Park held up further scoring until the 60th minute but then the dam broke. Back row, Phil Dixon posted the seventh try as he benefitted from a trademark rampage from Hodgson at the base of a scrum.

On 65 minutes scrum half Jason Ward, who was to pick-up the man of the match award, scored a peach of a try when he followed up his own chip over the Park defence.

Aspatria scored three more tries in the final ten minutes with Rooke, McDowell and Randall all adding to Hawcoat Park’s woes.

Silloth had been humiliated 102-0 on their last away trip, travelling with only 13 men but with Mark Orchard back as coach they responded to his urgings at Littleborough and were unlucky to go down 25-18.

They led 8-5 at the break and did not lose the advantage until the 65th minute, paying the price for individual decision making which actually cost them by conceding tries.

Ricky Holt scored a try and landed two penalties with a conversion, while Joe Kirkup also scored a try.