I'm not sure if many, or even any, Workington Town fans actually read this section. However I will get a biting issue off my chest, (no not 'er indoors) and ask those message board sceptics - a sad breed of which their are too many for my liking - was the performance/result on Thursday to your (mildest) satisfaction? And you know I'll bet the cost of a hair transplant (an expensive remedy believe me) that some of them will still love to find fault - it's quite the nature of such beasts.

As yet, and maybe that's obvious, I haven't checked out the responses on the 'board'. But I will do eventually, and I do hope it makes better reading than of late...okay? Actually I would be insulted if anyone ranked me as a "sceptic", a worrier would be more accurate. My furrowed brow took on even more lines when I arrived at D.P. about 6.00pm on Thursday. The buzz was the flu had hit Town - several players were ill - not the sort of pre-match crack you want to hear is it?

Even worse news was the riposte from a top Haven official when I queried the effect of that same illness, which reportedly had hit their camp - the wee fella stuck his chest out and said, "our lads are all fit, and well, and raring to go". Hmmm, well matey boy your players didn't reflect your (phoney!!) confidence did they?.....they looked the sickest bunch of marras I've seen for a long while at 9.00 p.m....chuckle, chuckle, oh bless 'em.

Gloomiest of all for me, as a connoisseur of stylish Rugby League - oh yes I am - was the sight of one dextrous exponent really losing the plot and joining the criminal element in the Haven camp - no prizes for guessing I'm referring to a punchy Aaron Lester..sad to see him repeatedly take cheap shots - what was his aim? (accurate actually - ask our NITRO). Our forwards were not drawn into such lunacy and played their hearts out, showing raw passion for the task in hand, and how we loved it.

Great stuff, and while you all have views on man-of-match candidates (and I did agree Tane was excellent) my eye is repeatedly being caught by the efforts of 'Sicey'. Here we have a young man who is maturing into one of the games most combative hookers, in the mould of Cunningham and Rowley - do you know a better one in the NFP? (please inform me). Now zooming off on a different tack - although still at the marra mauling - I thought it was an excellent effort by the 'back room staff' as they contrived to create a fun atmosphere.

Especially the amusing interjections on the tannoy by top comedian Norman Collier such as - "the.. t...was sco...d ...numb... twe.. uels" it was classic Collier material..well done people let's hear more.

Next up of course it is a toughie at Widnes. What is required first of all is a huge following to lift the lads as they enter the Auto Quest arena...let's see the Town Army of yesteryear hit the road again, in similar huge numbers.
K.S.

History......
Towns' first league win at Widnes
March 27th 1948 Widnes 8 v Town 14
Towns scorers:-
Tries: Large 1, Park 1
Goals: Risman 2
Drop goals: Carr 1, Ivison 1 (they were two pointers in those days)
Town Line up: Risman, Askew, Carr, Rodgers, Large, Gibson, Pepperell, Hughes, Thompson, Hayton, Cavanagh, Park, Ivison