Martin Morgan reports from Derwent Park

Last updated at 17:03, Monday, 19 May 2008

Workington Town 32 Doncaster 10: Town produced easily their best performance of the campaign last night to hand NL2 title challengers Doncaster their first league defeat after six wins.

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Town skipper Dean Burgess is wrapped up by the Dons defence, while brother Scott looks on

The hosts went in to the match on the back of a single success in seven outings, but the formbook was ripped to shreds as Town dominated large parts of the game.

Their commitment, from the first minute to the last, was impressive.

The first test came early when the otherwise outstanding winger Stephen Dawes spilled a high ball on his own line.

Town defended the set, and on their next possession, Ryan Campbell collected a bomb and fed Carl Forber, whose try under the sticks was ruled out for offside.

Dawes then intercepted to take the ball in to Doncaster territory, and the winger was also on hand moments later, with a great drive to set up Chris Young.

The Aussie, another to produce the goods, wriggled over for his first try in Town colours. Carl Forber added the first of his five conversions.

Winger Mark Routledge had a try disallowed for a knock-on in the build-up, and the visitors made Town pay.

Sub Michael Haley powered over the Town whitewash with three defenders clinging to him. Given what had gone before, it was a soft try for Workington to concede.

Shaun Lunt was outstanding on his return to action following a back injury, and he was on hand to take a miraculous Dean Burgess offload close to the Dons sticks. The hooker still had plenty to do when he took possession, but he darted through the defence to touch down.

Lunt knocked on from the re-start, though Town again showed their commitment, defending another set on their line.

Centre Jason Mossop was next on the scoresheet, taking Forber’s excellent flat pass.

With the Dons' 18-4 down, they stepped up their game after the interval. But they were unable to break Town’s spirited defensive line, and it was Lunt’s touch of class that produced the breakthrough.

He showed impressive acceleration to break from his own half, before being tagged. Powerful drives from Burgess and Young set up the position, and Lunt dived over from dummy-half.

Brett Smith, on his return to the first-team after over two years out of action, was next on the scoresheet.

Forber’s short pass put him in space, and the loose-forward’s arcing run took him to the line.

Even when the Dons managed to score, there was a slight element of luck involved. An attacking kick from Town rebounded off Craig Lawton’s legs in his own half.

The second-row sprinted down the left touchline, and when caught, the ball was moved to the right wing for Dean Colton to cross, Briggs converting.

Colton broke clear from the re-start, and Shaun Leaf was held up over the Town line by Jay Duffy.

Town kept going to the end, Campbell, Forber and Scott Burgess bundling Scott Jones back behind his own line. And Forber rounded off a great win with a penalty goal from in front of the sticks.

Match facts

Town: Wilson, Dawes, Campbell, Mossop, Routledge, Forber, Duffy, Benjafield, S Lunt, D Burgess, Young, Miller, Smith. Subs: S Burgess, Tunstall, Robinson, Lavulavu

Tries: Young, Lunt 2, Mossop, Smith; Goals: Forber 6

Dons: Reay, Colton, Bauer, Jones, Reittie Briggs, Gale, Benson, Lawrie, Castle, Buttery, Lawton, Green. Subs: Wood, Leaf, Hart, Haley

Tries: Haley, Colton; Goals: Briggs 1

Attendance: 626

Referee: P Carr

Star Man: S Lunt

First published at 09:17, Saturday, 17 May 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk