» June 24th 2001
» Town 26 : 34 Sheffield

Results in recent weeks had seen Town's play-off hopes increased. A win at Sheffield would not guarantee them a place in the play-off, but it would mean that they did not have to rely on results elsewhere going in their favour next week on the last day of the season.

Sheffield showed last week that they could take on the top teams and win after they beat Hull KR on their home ground. This was their last home game of the season and with players that have the creative skills of Mark Aston, Scott Rhodes and Richard Goddard, they were always going to be a threat.

The game started well for Town as they attacked the Sheffield line. Drives by Graeme Lewthwaite, Kevin Hetherington, Stuart Hoyles and Owen Williamson brought Town into a good position deep in the home half. Tane Manihera put in a good kick, but despite a chase by the Town attack, the Sheffield defence were able to collect and run the ball out. Referee Steve Presley then awarded a penalty to Town after he spotted that the Sheffield ball carrier had pushed out at the Town marker at the play of the ball. Manihera had no problems converting the kick to put Town into an early lead.

From the kick-off Town put themselves under pressure after a knock-on gave Sheffield the scrum on the Town 20-metre line. Sheffield used the ball well until a good tackle from Kevin Hetherington forced the knock-on and returned the possession to Town.

Town again used the ball well and fine drives got them into a good position for Manihera to put in the high kick. The Sheffield defence were forced onto the back foot to deal with this effort before the pressure was relieved when a high tackle resulted in a penalty on the Sheffield 20-metre line. A kick for touch brought Sheffield into the Town half. Good handling stretched the Town defence before Gareth Hewitt broke through and sped for the line from 35 metres out. Steven Wood put in a tackle close to the line but momentum carried the Yorkshire centre over the line to score. Richard Goddard added the conversion to put Sheffield into a 6 - 2 lead.

In the 11th minute Town came under pressure again when they were caught offside. Sheffield showed creative flair trying to engineer the gap. They continued to press the Town line and when the tackle count was wiped out close to the Town line the pressure was really on the visitors. From the play of the ball Sheffield hooker Gareth Dobson was able to dive and score close to the posts. Richard Goddard hit the upright with what should have been an easy conversion kick.

A knock-on after 15 minutes on the halfway line gave Town the advantage. From the scrum Graeme Lewthwaite put in a good drive. John Allen, Hitro Okesene, and Owen Williamson made further gains before the ball was swung wide to Kevin Hetherington. The centre avoided a tackle and ran down the line to put the ball down in the corner. The referee deemed that the ball had not been grounded correctly and awarded Sheffield the tap on their own 20-metre line.

Mark Aston, Scott Rhodes and Richard Goddard were showing their creative skills at every opportunity now and putting the Town defence under real pressure. In the 19th minute Scott Rhodes broke through and made good yards before losing the ball in the tackle. Town used this possession and again Manihera was able to put in a testing kick. The kick was chased well by the Town attack but the referee ignored their appeals for a knock-on.

The pressure was kept on the home side by a good defensive effort from Town and a knock-on at 30-metre line brought a Sheffield scrum. Town attacked and on the second drive Owen Williamson was held close to the line. Tane Manihera laid on a neat little pass to Stuart Hoyles who hit the Sheffield defensive line at speed, crashing through to score. Manihera missed with the conversion attempt.

Tane Manihera put a kick into the Sheffield in-goal area after 24 minutes that pinned the home defence close to their own line. Solid Cumbrian tackling continued to keep Sheffield in their own half before Mark Aston tried to clear the line with a high kick. Kevin Hetherington had read the situation well, closed down the kicker and charged down Aston's kick. Hetherington chased the loose ball but was unlucky as he was tackled into touch when he collected the ball.

Matthew Woodcock collected a kick deep in his own half on 28 minutes and strong attacking drives from Town soon brought play into the Sheffield half. On the last tackle Workington put in a little kick through. Neil Frazer gave chase and was first to the ball, but seemed to lose it in the tackle and the ball bounced into the in-goal area. Matthew Woodcock raced after this opportunity and dropped onto the ball to score. Tane Manihera's conversion attempt landed short of the posts.

A penalty for a high tackle on Lokeni Savelio on the Sheffield 40-metre line in the 32nd minute gave Town another opportunity to apply more pressure to the home line. Owen Williamson was tackled short of the line after the tackle count was wiped out, then a knock-on on the Sheffield 10-metre line gave away the possession.

In the 34th minute Town were again pushing out of their own half. Tane Manihera took the ball close to halfway, started to run along the line and threw a delayed pass out wide to the wing. Billy Kershaw intercepted the pass and ran in easily and unchallenged from 40 metres to score under the posts. Richard Goddard was again successful with the conversion.

A try in the dying minute of this first half put the Cumbrians even further behind. Sheffield used the high kick on the last and the Town defender that took the ball close to the line was tackled into touch. Sheffield drove at the line from the scrum and on the second tackle Mark Aston slipped a neat little inside pass to the supporting Andy Poynter and the fullback was able to go in under the posts. Richard Goddard added the conversion to give Sheffield a 22-10 lead at halftime.

Sheffield used a short kick-off at the start of the second half to great effect. A knock-on by Town forced them to defend deep in their own half for 2 sets of 6 before a turnover on the last tackle relieved the pressure.

Graeme Lewthwaite gave chase to Lynton Stott's kick to the corner in the 45th minute. The winger reached the ball and grounded it, but the linesman ruled that the ball had already gone dead.

Town were chasing the game and were awarded a scrum on the Sheffield 20-metre line after a knock-on. A wild pass on the third tackle saw the ball go to ground behind all the Town players in the attacking line. Sheffield reacted fastest and retrieved the loose ball.

A 50th minute penalty on the halfway line after Sheffield were not square at the play of the ball again provided Town with an attacking opportunity. The ball was used to great effect and when it came out wide to Neil Frazer he was able to burst through the line at speed and run in to score out wide. Tane Manihera was successful with the conversion kick.

The pressure on the Sheffield line continued. On the third tackle Matt Sturm made good yards after he broke through and ran into the gap he had created before passing to the supporting Jamie Beaumont who carried on the break before being caught on the Sheffield 20-metre line. The kick on the last tackle from Lynton Stott was taken easily in-goal by the Sheffield defence for a 20-metre tap.

A clean break from Ian Brown in the 55th minute again split the Town defence. The winger was hauled down on the Town 20-metre line after a good chase from the Town defenders. Mark Aston's drop goal attempt on the next tackle went under the posts and dead in-goal to give the possession back to the visitors.

Substitute Gavin Brown made a good break from dummy half in the 65th minute and his well-timed pass to the supporting Richard Goddard created the space. Goddard was able to step out of two weak tackles and run in to score from 25 metres out. Goddard was again successful with the kick to extend the Sheffield lead 28-16.

A knock-on by Town just inside their own half in the 71st minute gave Sheffield the scrum. The ball was quickly passed along the line to create the overlap which allowed Gareth Hewitt to evade the would-be tackler before touching down in the corner. Richard Goddard kicked an excellent touchline conversion.

From the restart Town used the short kick. Neil Frazer was first to the ball and knocked it back towards his own line. Drives from the Town forwards got them into a good position close to the posts before Lokeni Savelio was able to crash through to score close to the posts. Tane Manihera added the conversion to reduce the Sheffield lead to 34-22.

The last points of the day went to Town. In the 77th minute Tane Manihera stole the ball in a one-on-one tackle at halfway and a neat pass out to Kevin Hetherington created the overlap. The centre was able to run clear and on to score out wide. Tane Manihera missed with the conversion attempt.

Teams
Town: Steven Wood, Matthew Woodcock, Neil Frazer, Kevin Hetherington, Graeme Lewthwaite, Tane Manihera, Lynton Stott, Matt Sturm, Owen Williamson, Hitro Okesene, John Allen, Stuart Hoyles, Anthony Samuel
Subs: Matthew Tunstall, Lokeni Savelio, Carl Sice, Jamie Beaumont

Sheffield: Andy Poynter, Ian Brown, Neil Kite, Gareth Hewitt, Ian Thompson, Mark Aston, Scott Rhodes, Steve Hill, Gareth Dobson, Ricky Wright, Billy Kershaw, Chris Chapman, Richard Goddard
Subs: Gavin Brown, Simon Tillyer, Jon Bruce, Darren Summerhill

Attendance: 1,259
Referee: Steve Presley (Castleford)