WORKINGTON TOWN 24 OLDHAM 28
DAVE PARKINSON, Fibrus Community Stadium, Sunday

MATTY ASHURST’S hat-trick of tries was the difference as Oldham were forced to come from behind to eventually win at committed Workington and keep their top-four challenge going.

A first-quarter blitz from the visitors enabled them to get into a strong position before a stirring home response.

Oldham opened the scoring on four minutes with some neat play at the end of which Ashurst crossed close to the posts, setting up Morgan Smith to convert.

Town responded with some good defence but when they started giving away penalties, Oldham were too good.

Jack Walker eased his way over after twelve minutes, Smith again adding the two, and when Adam Milner sent Ryan Lannon streaming through the middle, his pass found Smith in support for a score he improved for 18-0.

The restart was sent out on the full and Oldham forced a drop-out before finding further points when Ashurst surged over wide out in the 19th minute.

Workington responded by applying some pressure of their own and Zarrin Galea thought he had a try only for referee Adam Williams to rule the offload from Jack Ainley came after his held call.

Unperturbed, Workington continued to battle away and got the score their efforts deserved when Mason Lewthwaite drifted infield from the left and broke through, speeding past Luke Forber before turning the ball inside for Rio Corkill to go between the posts. Huddersfield loanee Logan Blacker converted.

Despite some further pressure from Oldham, Workington stood firm for the rest of the first half.

They then came out with intent and scored a decent try to open their second-half account when Galea slid a kick in behind the defence and Corkill won the race to touch down. Blacker added his second goal.

When his side made a break from inside their own half, Oldham’s Tom Nisbet disrupted the play-the-ball and found himself in the sin bin.

In his absence Workington flooded forward with confidence with Jamie Doran forcing a drop-out.

Just as Oldham started applying their own pressure, Evan Lawther latched onto a dummy-half pass from Matty Wildie and ran 85 metres before offloading for Braden Leigh to finish a brilliant 57th-minute move. Blacker improved.

Then on the hour, Doran broke through and Tyce Walmsley appeared at his shoulder to run the remaining 20 metres.

Blacker’s fourth conversion from four edged Workington 24-22 in front and they continued to dominate into the last ten minutes, forcing a drop-out and spending time on the Oldham line.

In response Wildie was held up over the line, and it was nip and tuck, with Ashurst settling it on 76 minutes when he drifted through to score his third, with Smith adding his fourth conversion.

GAMESTAR: Matty Ashurst’s treble was crucial for Oldham, and he had a great game, just edging Workington’s Callum Farrer and Mason Lewthwaite.

GAMEBREAKER: Ashurst’s third and final score four minutes from the end.

MATCHFACTS

TOWN
1 Zarrin Galea
4 Braden Leigh
21 Evan Lawther
3 Rio Corkill
22 Tanna Featherstone
9 Jamie Doran
27 Logan Blacker
8 Ross Ainley
14 Callum Phillips
25 Bear Williams
11 Mason Lewthwaite
28 Jack Ainley
13 Jack Stephenson
Subs (all used)
15 Callum Farrer
17 Lucas Castle
20 Tyce Walmsley
26 Tuarae Rawhiti

Tries: Corkill (30, 49), Leigh (57), Walmsley (60)
Goals: Blacker 4/4

OLDHAM
1 Jack Walker
21 Tom Nisbet
5 Jake Bibby
3 Ben O’Keefe
28 Luke Forber
6 Morgan Smith
23 Josh Drinkwater
12 Ryan Lannon
9 Matty Wildie
15 Ted Chapelhow
11 Matty Ashurst
26 Brad Day
13 Adam Milner
Subs (all used)
4 Ben Davies
17 Emmanuel Waine
22 Iain Thornley
27 Bayley Liu

Tries: Ashurst (4, 19, 76), Walker (12), Smith (16)
Goals: Smith 4/5
Sin bin: Nisbet (53) – interference

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-18, 0-22, 6-22; 12-22, 18-22, 24-22, 24-28

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Town: Mason Lewthwaite; Oldham: Matty Ashurst

Penalty count: 4-8
Half-time: 6-22
Referee: Adam Williams