Match report by By Ian Golden
Workington virtually assured promotion with an emphatic home win against South Wales Scorpions on Sunday.
The Scorpions, who fielded 14 Welshmen in their line-up, made a valiant effort and went over the line twice, but in the end, Town’s class showed.
Workington had an early chance to score but Mark Calderwood lost the ball as he tried to get past the Scorpions back-line and the chance was lost.
But after they got the ball back following some errors, former Crusader Peter Lupton put Elliot Miller in at the corner to give Workington the lead. Carl Forber converted.
An almost identical move was repeated from kick-off when Miller went over in the same corner, again with Lupton the provider, this time from a long range pass. Forber goaled and very quickly, the Scorpions were 12-0 down.
The nearest Scorpions came to scoring in the first 20 minutes was after winning a penalty where Shawn Owens helped to make the metres but good defence from Town ensured the Welsh remained scoreless at the time.
Jarrod Stack dived in from close range for the third try six minutes later but this time the conversion was missed.
Scorpions attempted a try back but lacked the final touch. Steve Parry was tackled close to the line and Owen’s grubber kick was too long for anyone to latch onto.
Straight from the restart there was almost a fourth try. James Newton broke and ran half the length of the field. Miller was again set up on the win but a try-saving tackle from Ben Gilbert prevented his hat-trick.
Gilbert then almost went from preventer to creator, going through the defence with a very good show of skill, but his final pass to Kevin James out wide went into touch.
And Town didn’t waste the ball from the restart. Stack created the move, Brett Carter slipped the ball to Mark Calderwood who went under the sticks. Forber easily converted to make the score 22-0 at half-time.
After just five minutes of the second half it was 30-0. First over the line was former Scorpion loanee Jamie Thackray before a fine individual try from Graeme Mattinson, as he burst through the defence from dummy half sprinting to the line. Forber failed to convert both and the score was 30-0.
Scorpions had never given up the ghost. They gained good field position following a scrum and penalty and got on the board when Nathan Mossop ran through from short range but Courtney Davies’ kick was slightly wide.
Town should have addressed the balance from kick-off but astonishingly Forber dropped the ball when he ran over the line and a potential try was ruled out.
But they did scored again soon after when Stack turned defence into attack with a fantastic run. Forber fed Calderwood for him to score in the corner before converting.
Scorpions struck back for a second time on 67 minutes when Dalton Grant weaved his way past a few defenders for an excellent winger’s try. Davies converted on this occasion.
Again Town hit back. Miller, who was denied his hat-trick just before Grant’s effort, made no mistake following as he sprinted through. Forber converted.
Miller aimed for a fourth but he stepped into touch as he was looking for a gap past Kevin James on the wing, but he wasn’t to be denied with minutes left on the clock as he picked up a long Lupton kick. Forber’s kick was short and wide.
Then, almost from kick-off the irrepressible Town winger brought up the 50 point mark for the home side as he went over for his fifth and Town’s tenth with Forber missing the final kick.
The Scorpions have a lot to learn but seem a keen bunch. They will keep on improving.