WORKINGTON TOWN 22 DEWSBURY RAMS 38
DAVE PARKINSON, Fibrus Community Stadium, Sunday
DEWSBURY dominated much of this game, running to a 0-38 lead after 63 minutes before Workington scored four back-to-back tries to add some respectability to the final score.
Led by a strong pack, the Rams were good value, with halfbacks Dan Coates and Jacob Hookem continually pushing Workington back with an exemplary kicking game.
Both sides tested each other in the middle early, with Luke Nelmes heavily involved before injury forced him off in the seventh minute.
Louis Collinson continued the positivity for the Rams alongside fellow forwards Ellis Lingard, Brad Graham and subs Harvey Roberts and Jacob Bateman.
Despite their territorial advantage it was Workington who had the first real chance when Dom Wear drifted right and had to turn his body to fire a pass wide to Corkill, but it was deemed forward.
At the other end Dewsbury conceded a penalty whilst in possession and Town brought it down the ground before Tuarae Rawhiti was then hauled down on halfway and expressed his thoughts, which saw him penalised. In possession Dewsbury proved unstoppable and a move left involving both Craig McShane and George Senior brought a diving finish in the corner for Tom Delaney.
Six minutes later Dewsbury’s kicking game came up trumps again when Coates kicked to the right and O’Connor and Dickinson contested it, with the ball bouncing back the Rams’ way and Caelum Jordan touching down. Hookem sent his conversion attempt wide and it was 0-10.
In the closing stages of the first half, Town had the better of play, Lewthwaite was felled on a break and Corkill was forced into a handover near the line. Town then forced a couple of drop outs but Dewsbury held out.
Townsoon found themselves on the back foot in the second half when a grubber kick bounced up awkwardly for Zarrin Galea and Coates ran through to touch down. Hookem added the goal and was on target again when Brad Graham forced the ball down on the left.
Four minutes later the excellent Jack McShane, who enjoyed a field day from dummy-half, ran from five metres and forced the ball down with three defenders around him.
The conversion made it 0-28 before Workington were further embarrassed on the hour by a scoot down the right from Hookem, who dummied and handed on for Bailey O’Connor to score. Hookem completed his five-goal haul and there was still time for him to kick left before the ball broke for Senior to touch down in the corner.
Town did rally in the final quarter, with Galea running strongly and handing on for Jake Dickinson to dive in and ground for his sixth try of an impressive trial spell.
Dickinson was at the heart of the next move when Dewsbury sent their restart short and Town went left. The winger ran inside the Dewsbury half before picking out the supporting Mason Lewthwaite to go the distance after 73 minutes.
Jake Carter goaled again and was at the hub of the next move, passing inside for Callum Farrer to dot down under the posts.
There was more Carter brilliance in the last few seconds, when his kick right was latched onto by Alex Donaghy and he sailed in at the corner, but that could not atone for a disappointing eighty minutes for the hosts and an important away victory for the Rams.
GAMESTAR: Jack McShane was everywhere from dummy-half during his spell on the field, creating havoc on the back of a dominant pack performance.
GAMEBREAKER: Three tries in nine minutes between the 51st and 60th minute ensured the result was beyond doubt.
MATCHFACTS
TOWN
1 Zarrin Galea
5 Alex Donaghy
3 Rio Corkill
4 Braden Leigh
29 Jake Dickinson
6 Jake Carter
7 Dom Wear
8 Ross Ainley
14 Callum Phillips
15 Callum Farrer
11 Mason Lewthwaite
26 Tuarae Rawhiti
10 Stevie Scholey
Subs (all used)
9 Jamie Doran
16 Guy Graham
24 Grant Reid
25 Bear Williams
Tries: Dickinson (71), Lewthwaite (73), Farrer (76), Donaghy (80)
Goals: Carter 3/4
RAMS
1 Craig McShane
3 Caelum Jordan
29 Bailey O’Connor
4 George Senior
2 Tom Delaney
6 Dan Coates
7 Jacob Hookem
30 Ellis Lingard
9 Jack McShane
8 Luke Nelmes
11 Joe Summers
23 Brad Graham
16 Louis Collinson
Subs (all used)
15 Jacob Bateman
17 Harvey Roberts
20 Valu Tanē Bentley
22 George Rayner
Tries: Delaney (19), Jordan (25), Coates (46), Graham (51), J McShane (55), O’Connor (60), Senior (63)
Goals: Hookem 5/7
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-10; 0-16, 0-22, 0-28, 0-34, 0-38, 6-38, 12-38, 18-38, 22-38
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Town: Callum Phillips; Rams: Jack McShane
Penalty count: 8-6
Half-time: 0-10
Referee: Aaryn Belafonte
Attendance: 746