» May 6th 2001
» Town 16 : 38 Rochdale Hornets

Town were well beaten by a team that were prepared to keep the ball alive at every opportunity. The Town defence failed to clamp the ball in the tackle on several occasions and were punished as the home side threw the ball around to create the gaps.

Workington were without the influential Tane Manihera, missing with a thigh injury that he had picked up in last weeks victory over Dewsbury. Craig Fisher was drafted in as replacement at stand-off.

Rochdale kicked-off and Town made good use of the ball, using their first set of six to gain field advantage deep in the Rochdale half. The visitors elected to run on the last and were tackled on the home side's 20-metre line.

The Cumbrians continued to press when they had the ball and a penalty in the second minute, right in front of the posts, gave them the first scoring chance of the day. Kevin Hetherington easily converted it.

The lead was nearly further extended a minute later after Matt Sturm provided a well timed pass to Kevin Hetherington who burst through the defence and was caught short of the line by the Rochdale full back Paul Owen.

A penalty against Town for holding down saw the home team start to gain the advantage in the visitors' half. Rochdale used the ball well, Danny Sculthorpe swinging the ball wide. Hetherington had anticipated this and incepted the pass and made a clean break. He had support all the way from Graeme Lewthwaite, but after wrong footing the defence he made a 90-metre run to score in the corner. Hetherington was unsuccessful with the conversion attempt from out wide.

The attacking play from Town continued and Craig Fisher kicked through a little grubber kick on nine minutes. The ball bounced and the full back collected only for Fisher to follow up his kick and steal the ball one-on-one but Town failed to make good use of the possession.

The home side used up their six and then launched a high kick to test the Town defence. The ball went dead in-goal. From the resulting possession Town were able to run at the defence and again made good yards into the Rochdale half. On the last, Lynton Stott kicked, but the Rochdale defence were able to deal with it.

A handling error by Rochdale early in the tackle count after 13 minutes allowed Town to regain possession close to halfway. Neil Frazer made a good break and passed to the supporting Jonathan Heaney who was tackled short of the line. Town again failed to make good use of the advantage.

Rochdale began to take control. They kept the ball alive at every opportunity and some good handling saw them penetrate deep into the Town half. Workington were forced to defend and soaked up the pressure before Rochdale kicked on the last.

On 20 minutes Rochdale thought they had scored. Danny Sculthorpe was close to the try line and pulled in the Town defence. He was able to pass the ball out of the tackle to the supporting Danny Wood who squeezed the ball over the line. The linesman flagged for a forward pass earlier in the movement and the referee awarded a scrum to Town.

Rochdale did score five minutes later. A penalty for interference at the play of the ball brought Rochdale again deep into the Town half. Danny Sculthorpe again went close and from the play of the ball substitute Dave Larder was able to use the momentum in the tackle to twist and place the ball over the line to score in the corner. Danny Wood missed with the touchline conversion attempt. The Town lead was now reduced to 4 - 6.

The home side were keeping the ball alive at every opportunity and the Town tacklers were failing to clamp the ball in the tackle. Rochdale used this ploy to good effect to create the gaps after pulling in the Town defence.

Town fell behind in the 27th minute. Rochdale had used the ball well and Craig Fisher collected a short kick through in the Town 20. Owen Williamson took the drive and lost the ball in the tackle one-on-one. Danny Sculthorpe collected the pass and crashed in close to the posts to score. Danny Wood added the conversion to move Rochdale into a 10 - 6 lead.

Matt Calland scored out wide after 35 minutes. Again Danny Sculthorpe was the provider. He swung the ball out to the wing, Calland collected and sped through the Town defence to score. Danny Wood slotted over a fine conversion from way out wide to make Rochdale's halftime lead 16 - 6.

Town fell even further behind seven minutes after the restart. Winger Marlon Billy collected the ball way out wide just in the Town half. He cut inside and ran for the posts breaking and avoiding three tackles to score under the posts. The player injured his ankle scoring and was receiving treatment as Danny Wood was again successful with the conversion.

Four minutes later Town were further behind again. Rochdale again keeping the ball alive and were able to pass the ball out of 4 attempted tackles before Danny Sculthorpe put in a high bomb. Latham Tawhai was first under the ball. He collected the ball unopposed and went in to score close to the posts. Danny Wood added the conversion to extend the Rochdale lead to 28 - 6.

Town tried to rally for a late comeback. Good work by the forwards after 55 minutes saw them inside the Rochdale half and good break from Kevin Hetherington opened the defence. The winger strode through the defence and he was able to pass to the supporting Graeme Lewthwaite who went in to score. Kevin Hetherington missed with the conversion attempt.

A knock-on in the 59th minute by Town inside their own 20 saw Rochdale play a planned move from the resulting scrum. Marlon Billy had been strapped up after being injured earlier in the match while scoring. The strapping resembled a plaster cast and the winger was way out wide on the touchline. The Town defence must have thought that he posed not threat as the ball was swung out to his side from the scrum. The scrum half pulled in the defence and threw out a wide pass to Marlon Billy. The winger was able to limp\hop to the line to score unopposed in the corner. Danny Wood missed with the touchline conversion attempt.

Rochdale further extended their lead on 65 minutes. Hooker Darren Robinson took the ball on the last tackle close to the Town line and was able to stretch for the line in the tackle to score close to the posts. Danny Wood was again successful with the conversion.

Graeme Lewthwaite added a second try after 69 minutes. The winger showed all his skills as he regained his feet after an attempted tackle, ducked and squirmed out of a further 5 tackles and evaded the defence to score. Kevin Hetherington kicked the conversion to reduce the Rochdale lead to 38 - 16.

The last ten minutes of the half saw no further scores. Both sides using up their sets of six before using the kicking game to turn around each other's defence.

Teams
Town: Lynton Stott, Jonathan Heaney, Neil Frazer, Kevin Hetherington, Graeme Lewthwaite, Craig Fisher, Lee Allen, Matthew Tunstall, Owen Williamson, Hitro Okesene, Jamie Beaumont, Matt Sturm, Anthony Samuel.
Subs: Leigh Smith, Lokeni Savelio, Stuart Hoyles, David Fletcher.

Rochdale: Paul Owen, Sean Cooper, Brendan O'Meara, Matt Calland, Marlon Billy, Danny Wood, Latham Tawhai, Danny Sculthorpe, Darren Robinson, Andy Ireland, David Stephenson, James Bunyan, Dave Watson.
Subs: Steve Gartland, Joe Berry, Wes Rogers, Dave Larder.

Attendance: 1,067

Referee: Ian Smith