Halifax 38 Workington 6: Murrell orchestrates victory as Halifax warm-up for Trinity tie

Halifax made it back to back Championship wins with a convincing 38-6 home success over Workington Town.

Richard Marshall’s side, who take on Super League side Wakefield in the Challenge Cup at Belle Vue on Friday night, never looked in danger against one of the competition’s weaker line-ups.

With captain Scott Murrell pulling the strings from stand-off and young full-back James Saltonstall outstanding, they led 28-0 at the break to end the game as a contest.

Their dominance continued into the second half, albeit without hammering home their advantage on the scoreboard.

Centre Perry Whiteley added a late consolation try from a loose ball, Carl Forber adding the conversion, before touchdowns from Alex Brown and Ben Kaye, the latter converted by Saltonstall with a toe-poke, gave Halifax a deserved margin of victory.

Earlier, both sides made some initial errors in conditions that were in stark contrast to last week’s sunshine, although even at that stage the home side looked dominant in defence.

And once they hit the front, prop Luke Ambler charging over under the posts on 13 minutes and Murrell adding the conversion, the Cumbrians’ challenge began to melt away.

They doubled their lead to 12-0 immediately, Rikki Sheriffe, recalled at centre in place of the injured Steve Tyrer, finishing a Ross Divorty break and Murrell kicking the goal.

The other centre, Ben Heaton, was next on the scoresheet after a nice pass from Saltonstall, with Saltonstall himself scoring moments later after a wicked reverse kick from Murrell.

Murrell converted the latter for a 22-0 lead, which became 28-0 just before the break when back rower Dane Manning powered clear on the right.

Halifax: Saltonstall; Brown, Heaton, Sheriffe, Potts; Taylor, Murrell; Cahalane, Kaye, Ambler, Divorty, Manning, Moore. Substitutes: Tangata, Bracek, Maneely, Spencer.

Workington Town: Murphy; Forrester, Gildart, Whiteley, Carter; Phillips, Forber; Walker, Mattinson, Shackley, Phillips, Horton, Olstrum. Substitutes: Coward, McAvoy, Duerden, Fifita.

Referee: W Turley (RFL).