DEWSBURY RAMS 32 WORKINGTON TOWN 6
ALEXANDER FYNN, FLAIR Stadium, Sunday
MONTY LUMB came off the bench to score a brace of tries as Dewsbury bounced back from their defeat at Halifax two weeks earlier to run out six-try victors against Workington.
And they attacked from the off, showing plenty of pace as they sought openings, although it took until 32 minutes before they managed to open their account and in fact it was Town who opened the scoring, despite the Rams threatening for sustained periods.
Dewsbury almost created a breakthrough as Craig McShane and Tom Delaney combined to run 90 metres down the field. The next play, though, was halted by the referee after Workington were deemed to be offside, before Joe Summers fumbled the ball over the line and the chance went begging.
Against the run of play Zarrin Galea scored the first try for the visitors after being awarded a penalty through Brad Graham incorrectly playing the ball.
Jamie Doran put through a grubber that Galea was able to pounce on with Jake Carter adding the conversion.
No one would have guessed at that stage that Town would fail to score again.
In fact Mason Lewthwaite thought he was in again as he went over the Rams’ line after a flat pass from Doran, but the referee deemed that he had knocked on before grounding the ball.
Summers then succeeded in scoring the Rams’ first try of the afternoon after Lumb played the ball out wide to Jacob Hookem, who gave a simple offload to Summers from the ground to reduce the deficit, although Hookem’s conversion attempt hit the upright.
Lumb then scored his first try for the hosts after Dan Coates hoisted a lofted kick that ricocheted off Tanna Featherstone and the former Huddersfield man was able to pounce on the loose ball, with Hookem adding the conversion to give the Rams a half-time lead of four points.
As the second half got underway, George Senior extended the Rams’ advantage, taking a neat pass from Jack McShane and wrestling his way over the line.
Lucas Castle was denied a try to close the gap after he got the ball over the line after a superb sequence of passes by Town, although the referee had spotted a forward pass.
With the Rams now in the ascendancy, Delaney scored his first try of the match after a superb grubber-kick from Hookem into the corner, and the winger was able to touch down despite Featherstone putting him under pressure, Hookem added the conversion from the touchline.
Lumb then extended the Rams’ advantage to effectively clinch the game after a repeat set of six on the halfway line and the final play saw him go over the line from dummy-half.
Galea almost broke through the defence as Town tried to fight back, but Craig McShane was on hand to neutralise the threat.
With the game entering the closing stages, Jack McShane made sure that the Rams had sealed the points, scoring under the sticks from dummy-half as the hooter sounded.
GAMESTAR: Monty Lumb scored two tries and his work from dummy-half was excellent.
GAMEBREAKER: Lumb’s second try on the hour put the Rams 20 points ahead, with Town unable to find a way back into the game.
MATCHFACTS
RAMS
1 Craig McShane
22 George Rayner
29 Bailey O’Connor
4 George Senior
2 Tom Delaney
6 Dan Coates
7 Jacob Hookem
8 Luke Nelmes
9 Jack McShane
15 Jacob Bateman
11 Joe Summers
23 Brad Graham
16 Louis Collinson
Subs (all used)
17 Harvey Roberts
21 Monty Lumb
20 Valu Tanē Bentley
28 Jacob Algar
Tries: Summers (32), Lumb (36, 60), Senior (43), Delaney (53), J McShane (78)
Goals: Hookem 4/6
TOWN
1 Zarrin Galea
29 Jake Dickinson
21 Evan Lawther
4 Braden Leigh
22 Tanna Featherstone
6 Jake Carter
9 Jamie Doran
8 Ross Ainley
26 Tuarae Rawhiti
25 Bear Williams
11 Mason Lewthwaite
28 Jack Ainley
13 Jack Stephenson
Subs (all used)
10 Stevie Scholey
16 Callum Farrar
17 Lucas Castle
18 Jude Lupton
Tries: Galea (21)
Goals: Carter 1/1
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 4-6, 10-6; 14-6, 20-6, 26-6, 32-6
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Rams: Monty Lumb; Town: Zarrin Galea
Penalty count: 7-8
Half-time: 10-6
Referee: Adam Williams