First-half display sees Cougars counting cost

Town led 16-0 at half-time after two scores from Wigan’s Lewis Tierney’s and a try from on-loan Sam Powell.

Cougars then came back with two scores in the second half but it proved to be too little too late.

It was the visitors who broke the deadlock. Graeme Mattinson off-loaded through to Tierney, who stepped his way through to the line, with Carl Forber converting.

It was not long before they manage to touch down again, as another dual-registered player, Jack Murphy bounced off two defenders before diving over, Forber added the extras.

They then scored from the most unlikely position. Paul Handforth put in a kick which looked to have trapped Tierney in the corner. Somehow, he managed to break clear and put the afterburners on to rocket past opposite number James Craven for a kick return try.

Neither side looked threatening in the second period until the last 10 minutes when a short cut-out pass from Handforth sent in Rawlins from close range, Handforth slotting the conversion.

All of a sudden, Keighley were in again after Handforth’s high bomb was knocked on, which allowed March to steal a try. Once again Handforth converted to reduce the deficit to just four points. But, despite their best efforts, it was not to be, as the visitors held out for a narrow win.

Keighley Cougars: Craven: Barnett, Williams, Haley, White; March, Handforth; Shickell, Feather, Rawlins, Lynam, Pursglove, Lindsay. Substitutes: Hesketh, Law, Cherryholme, Lee.

Workington Town: Tierney; Mossop, Murphy, Stack, Carter; Lupton, Forber; Coward, Mattinson, McAvoy, Phillips, Szostak, Olstrum. Substitutes: Phillips, Rooney, Duerden, Rowlandson.

Referee: T Roby (RFL).