Depleted Dewsbury beaten as Morrison plans for play-off tie

Rams boss Glenn Morrison – already without six first-team players – rested Tommy Gallagher, Karl Pryce and Anthony Thackeray for the trip.

His charges were outplayed for most of the contest, played in hot and sunny conditions in West Cumbria.

Workington opened the scoring when Brett Phillips benefited from quick play at dummy half to dart over. Forber added the conversion.

Despite numerous other chances and territorial dominance of the contest, the hosts were unable to add to their lead before the interval.

But any hopes of a Rams fightback were quickly erased early in the second half as Workington crossed for three tries in 15 minutes to take the tie away from the visitors.

First, Brett Phillips hit Peter Lupton’s looping pass at pace to crash over and then Lupton danced around a disjointed Rams defensive line to put real daylight between the teams. Forber converted the latter of the two scores and he was on target again as Brett Phillips crossed for a carbon copy of his first score to make it 22-0.

The Rams had struggled to mount a threat in the opponents’ half until the final quarter.

After Dale Morton’s try was chalked off for obstruction, and Sam Wood was pulled back for a forward pass, Austin Buchanan leapt to knock Kieran Hyde’s kick into the arms of Wood, who finished spectacularly to get Dewsbury on the board.

Hemingway was wide with the extras and there was still time for Wigan dual-reg full-back Jack Murphy to fire over a drop goal and rub salt in the wounds.

Workington: Murphy, Patrick, Mossop, Hulme, Rossi, Lupton, Forber, Coward, C. Phillips, Burke, B. Phillips, Farrell, McAvoy. Substitutes: James, Shackley, Olstrum, Lucock.

Dewsbury: Sheriff, Buchanan, Hellewell, Wood, Morton, Hyde, Schofield, Haggerty, Hemingway, Hepworth, Grady, Hale, Murphy.Substitutes: Farrell, Muranka, Wright, Aizue.

Referee: W Turley (RFL)