Workington Town 12 Sheffield Eagles 14: Briggs is on target as Eagles hold on for win

His three goals – one of them a penalty from half-way – proved vital in Cumbria as Sheffield held onto the points after a battling late revival from the home side.

They had led 14-0 after 47 minutes but tries in the 60th and 75th minutes by the home side made it a nervous conclusion to a hard-fought contest.

Eagles coach Mark Aston said: “We need to step up on our performances so far. It isn’t good enough though we have won four out of five. The top teams would have really punished us.”

Centre Menzie Yere powered over for Sheffield on 20 minutes, Briggs adding the conversion.

Down to 12 men after Michael Knowles was yellow carded for a blatant body-check, Sheffield responed with eight points.

Briggs kicked a penalty from halfway, before adding the extras to a try from Sam Smeaton, following good work from Eddie Battye.

When they were restored to 13 Sheffield had their best spell of dominance and it was Town’s turn to do their best work in defence.

Workington threatened with tries when Sam Forrester raced over in the corner from Jack Murphy’s pass and Carl Forber landed an excellent conversion.

Then five minutes from the end centre Perry Whiteley sliced through for the second, again converted by Forber.

Workington Town: Hampshire, Forrester, Murphy, Whiteley, Tierney, Doran, Forber, Walker, Mattinson, Shackley, B. Phillips, Horton, Stack. Substitutes: McAvoy, Greenwood, Akehurst, Fifita.

Sheffield Eagles: Laulu-Togagae, Turner, Yere, Smeaton, Worrincy, Briggs, Aston, Tonks, Davey, Thorpe, Knowles, Straugher, Taulapapa. Substitutes: Battye, Davies, Musolino, Walker.

Referee: J Cobb (Leigh).