WORKINGTON TOWN 36 ROCHDALE HORNETS 4
DAVE PARKINSON, Fibrus Community Stadium, Sunday
WORKINGTON wrapped up second place in League One with an ultimately comfortable win over Rochdale, although the scoreline didn’t tell the full tale.
The first half saw Town play some champagne Rugby League as they blasted in for six tries with some sparkling play.
They opened the scoring after ten minutes after Dan Nixon spilled a tricky kick from Jake Carter that dropped short in the breeze for Steve Scholey to pick up and touch down. Carter added the first of four goals.
The next 13 minutes really saw Town find their attacking groove as a big run by Levi Atiga set the field position and the ball was flicked left through several pairs of hands before some great footwork from Lennon Clark saw the Hull man skip over the line.
On their next set Town broke from deep, Zarrin Galea making initial inroads before Dave Eccleston carried on the movement and the inside push from Carter and Dom Wear paved the way for an athletic dive over the line by Callum Phillips.
Carter’s second goal stretched the host’s advantage to 16-0 and things got even better when, on the back of a Hornets error, Wear popped an inviting pass right for Mason Lewthwaite to score.
The same combination had Town on the front foot moments later as Lewthwaite caused havoc and Wear followed up and an offload found an unmarked Rio Corkill to dive in for his eighth try of the season.
Shortly before the break, Workington flooded through the middle and when Gregg McNally was caught out of position, Carter kicked the ball in behind and Galea raced through to collect his tenth try of the season.
Leading 32-0 at the break, you could have been forgiven for expecting more of the same, but Rochdale were a much more determined side in the second half.
Town started well with a Carter 20-40, but they couldn’t take advantage and the Hornets began enjoying more possession.
Tom Ashton went close to opening Rochdale’s account after 54 minutes and they finally worked a score for their supporters to cheer on the hour when Martyn Ridyard lofted a ball right and Dan Nixon finished athletically. Morgan Punchard was unable to convert.
Hornets pushed for further points but found the going tough against a strong defensive effort.
In the latter stages Workington started to re-exert themselves, forcing a couple of dropouts and they wrapped up the scoring seconds from the end when Carter pushed down the right and Wear finished a productive day with a try.
GAMESTAR: Dom Wear had a hand in several tries and scored one himself for Town.
GAMEBREAKER: The two tries in the closing stages of the first half set Workington apart.
MATCHFACTS
TOWN
1 Zarrin Galea
20 Dave Eccleston
18 Max Clarke
3 Rio Corkill
2 Levi Atiga
28 Jake Carter
7 Dom Wear
8 Ross Ainley
21 Callum Phillips
25 Callum Farrer
23 Lennon Clark
30 Mason Lewthwaite
10 Stevie Scholey
Subs (all used)
9 Jamie Doran
24 Lucas Castle
16 Guy Graham
13 Jack Stephenson
Tries: Scholey (10), Clark (15), Phillips (17), Lewthwaite (23), Corkill (29), Galea (37), Wear (80)
Goals: Carter 4/7
HORNETS
1 Gregg McNally
2 Dan Nixon
14 Max Flanagan
20 Tom Ashton
5 Luke Forber
6 Martyn Ridyard
7 Lewis Else
22 Charlie McKler
36 Ross Whitmore
17 Ben Killan
33 Darcy Simpson
18 Dylan Kelly-Duffy
13 Emmerson Whittel
Subs (all used)
23 Morgan Punchard
30 Isaac Reid
16 Jordan Andrade
34 Elijah Simpson
Tries: Nixon (60)
Goals: Punchard 0/1
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 10-0, 16-0, 22-0, 26-0, 32-0; 32-4, 36-4
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Town: Dom Wear; Hornets: Dan Nixon
Penalty count: 2-4
Half-time: 32-0
Referee: Kevin Moore
Attendance: 739