REPORT: TOWN VS SHEFFIELD

Our Town men took on Sheffield as we returned to action.

Workington Town produced another committed performance on the road on Saturday, matching playoffs contenders Sheffield Eagles for long periods before a late flurry of tries saw the hosts pull away in the closing stages.

While the final scoreline may suggest a comfortable afternoon for the Eagles, the contest was far closer than it reflected. With just over ten minutes remaining, Town were within ten points and firmly in the contest, pushing for a result against one of the Championship's strongest sides.

The visitors made an excellent start and looked sharp from the opening whistle. Their positive approach was rewarded inside the opening ten minutes when Jamie Doran finished off a well-worked attack to give Town an early lead. Jake Carter added the extras to cap an encouraging opening spell.

Sheffield responded through sustained pressure to level the scores before taking the lead midway through the first half after capitalising on a scrum opportunity.

Town, however, continued to create chances of their own.

The travelling supporters thought Mason Lewthwaite had pulled a try back after a powerful attacking move, only for play to be brought back, while another promising attack ended just short when the ball was lost attempting to keep the move alive.

Despite trailing at the interval, there was little separating the two teams, with Town showing plenty of resilience and willingness to take the game to their hosts.

The Eagles struck first after the restart to extend their advantage, but Town refused to let the game drift away.

The defence stood firm during a lengthy spell of pressure before Zarrin Galea produced one of the moments of the match, breaking clear and racing almost the length of the field. Only an outstanding last-ditch tackle prevented the winger from finishing what would have been a sensational individual try.

Town's persistence was eventually rewarded with 15 minutes remaining. Quick thinking from dummy half saw Callum Phillips dart over to score, with Carter's conversion reducing the deficit to just ten points.

At 22-12, the momentum was beginning to swing, and Town looked capable of setting up a tense finish. The visitors continued to throw everything at Sheffield, knowing that the next score could have changed the complexion of the contest.

Unfortunately, as Town pushed to get back on level terms, gaps began to appear and Sheffield capitalised late on, adding three tries in the final stages to extend the scoreline beyond what the game had deserved.

The result was undoubtedly disappointing, but there were plenty of positives to take from the performance. Against one of the league's leading sides, Town competed strongly for over 70 minutes and showed the character and determination that has been evident in recent weeks.

There was concern late in the match when Callum Phillips was forced from the field after appearing to aggravate a hamstring injury. Everyone at Workington Town wishes Callum a speedy recovery, and the club will provide an update when appropriate.

Although the points remained in Yorkshire, Town can take confidence from another encouraging display. With the team continuing to improve and matching some of the Championship's top sides for long periods, there is every reason to believe performances like this will soon be rewarded.

Thank you to every Town supporter who made the journey to Sheffield. Your backing never goes unnoticed, and we look forward to seeing you all again next weekend as we continue our push forward together.

We will see you all for this weekends Charity Game clash at home against Keighley Cougars at 3:00pm!