Sheffield Eagles 26 Workington 6: Sammut shines but Eagles recover to win

With half-back Jarrod Sammut, on his debut after signing from Wakefield, providing a teasing kicking game the Cumbrians outplayed a flat Eagles in the first half.

“At this time of the year you have to win,” said coach Mark Aston. “We stopped them scoring in the second half, but it was a disappointing performance.”

Town’s reward was the first points as Brett Carter dived in at the flag.

It took Sheffield until the final 10 minutes of the half to find a way through with full-back Quentin Laulu-Togagae coming into the line and Kyle Briggs adding the goal.

Town levelled the score with a penalty from Karl Forber just before the break.

Sheffield set out to dominate from the restart and, on the back of a penalty, prop Steve Thorpe forced his way over.

The momentum slowed as Eagles weathered a spell of Town pressure before sealing the game in the final quarter.

Misi Taulapapa set-up the crucial score with a break to send in Laulu-Togagae for his second try.

John Davies bungled his way over from Jamie Langley’s pass and in the final minute Duane Straugheir finished a passing move. Briggs couldn’t add to his three earlier conversions but Sheffield had the points.

Sheffield: Laulu-Togagae; Turner, Yere, Smeaton, Taulapapa; Aston, Briggs; Battye, Davey, Tonks, Knowles, Davies, Walker. Substitutes: Thorpe, Petersen, Langley, Straugheir.

Workington: Murphy; Miller, Mossop, Thornley, Carter; Sammut, Doran; Shackley, Lucock, Walker, Lloyd, Stack, McAvoy. Substitutes: Horton, Scholey, Coward, Forber.

Referee: A Sweet (RFL).