REPORT: TOWN VS KEIGHLEY

Our Town men played the charity game at home against Keighley!

Workington Town produced a superb second-half response to overcome Keighley Cougars and secure a deserved 36-24 victory at the Fibrus Community Stadium.

In a match that carried plenty of importance at the lower end of the Championship table, Town showed character, attacking quality and resilience to recover after falling behind early in the second half before powering away from the visitors.

The result lifts Town above Keighley in the Championship standings with five fixtures remaining and provides a major boost heading into the closing weeks of the campaign.

Kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes following a medical incident which required the immediate attention of the club’s medical team. We would like to thank everyone involved for their swift response and support.

Once the game got underway, Town settled well and opened the scoring after a bright start.

Braden Leigh found room down the left edge before producing a perfectly timed inside pass for Evan Lawther, who powered through to touch down. Jake Carter added the conversion to give Town an early six-point advantage.

Keighley responded soon afterwards after Town lost possession in their own half. The visitors made the most of the opportunity, with Brandon Pickersgill crossing close to the posts before Matty Beharrell levelled the scores with the conversion.

Town continued to threaten and came close to regaining the lead when Carter placed a clever kick into the corner. The ball narrowly escaped the grasp of Keighley winger Waldimar Matahwa before the visitors were able to recover.

The decisive moment of the first half arrived just after the half-hour mark.

Keighley looked to be building a dangerous attack, but an attempted offload fell into the hands of Zarrin Galea. The Town fullback immediately turned defence into attack, racing around 70 metres before the ball was kicked wide for Tanna Featherstone to finish the move and score his first try for the club.

The score gave Town fresh energy, and the home side struck again only minutes later.

Leigh was once more involved, breaking into space before showing excellent awareness to place a kick back inside for Callum Phillips to collect and score. Carter’s conversion stretched Town’s lead to 16-6.

Keighley ensured there would be little room for complacency, however, as they reduced the gap before the interval. A move involving Beharrell and Pickersgill created an opportunity for Lachlan Lanskey, who forced his way over to leave Town holding a narrow 16-12 advantage at the break.

The visitors began the second half strongly and took the lead for the first time when Alfie Dean made a break down the right before producing a well-judged kick inside. Oliver Whitford gathered the ball to score, with Beharrell’s conversion putting Keighley 18-16 ahead.

Town could have allowed the momentum to swing away, but instead the players responded with one of their strongest periods of the season.

Strong carries from Jack Ainley, Lucas Castle and Phillips helped Town regain control and establish valuable field position. An injury to Leigh forced a reshuffle, with Jamie Doran moving to full-back and Galea switching to the wing, but the changes did little to disrupt the home side’s momentum.

Town were back in front when Carter moved the ball quickly to the left, allowing Galea to finish in the corner. Carter added the extras to restore the advantage.

The pressure continued, and Town soon crossed again. Sharp work from Phillips around the ruck created an opening before Castle’s clever handling put Ainley into space. The powerful forward beat the final defender to reach the line and extend the lead.

Featherstone then added his second try of the afternoon after selling a superb dummy and finding the space to race down the right wing and finish at the corner.

Town were now playing with real confidence and put the result beyond doubt when Grant Reid powered over from close range. Carter’s conversion completed a strong afternoon with the boot and gave Town a commanding 36-18 lead.

Keighley scored a late consolation through former Town player Max Clarke, but the final whistle confirmed a well-earned victory for the home side.

After briefly falling behind early in the second half, Town demonstrated the character and determination required to turn the contest around. The attacking response was impressive, with four tries during a dominant spell that took the game away from the visitors.

The victory was an important one both on the field and in the Championship table, while the performance provided another reminder of the quality and fight within this Town squad.

A huge thank you to everyone who turned out to support the team at the Fibrus Community Stadium. Your backing helped drive the players forward, and we look forward to seeing you all again as Town head into the final five games of the season including this weekend against Newcastle Thunder.

Up The Town!