Halifax 36 Workington Town 32: A stirring second half comeback was not quite enough to earn Town a surprise and desperately needed first win since March 13.

Workington’s second trip in eight days to West Yorkshire was ultimately no more successful than the first but the performance, especially after the break, and the final score was so much more encouraging.

Having granted the opposition 52-points in their previous two games, bottom of the table Town looked likely concede another half a century at The Shay when shipping in five first half tries, all ably converted by Steve Tyrer who went on to a personal tally of 16 points on his 200th career appearance.

But, following a no-holds barred half-time team talk, Phil Veivers side bossed the second period, both in terms of field position and possession, and had they displayed a little more creativity in the final third, Town might easily have sprung a surprise on top four chasing Halifax.

History was not on Town’s side, having not beaten Fax in any of their ten previous encounters dating back to the start of the Millennium and only managed two tries in their previous three clashes.

Veivers was forced to go without both props who were scheduled to start the previous week’s game at Bradford: Oliver Gordon, who suffered a strained lower abdomen and Kris Coward, who pulled up holding his hamstring in the warm-up at Odsal.

However Jarrad Stack and Liam McAvoy made welcome returns from injury while both winger Chris Murphy and hooker Callum Phillips were cleared to play following head knocks.

Town successfully pegged their hosts back in the early stages with two Jamie Doran kicks to touch and some enthusiastic defence but a penalty conceded for some over exuberant tackling triggered two tries in three minutes which rocked them onto their heels.

James Saltenstall broke down Halifax’s right and put Sam Smeaton over, with Gareth Moore then creating the chance for Dane Manning to cross.

It could have been three tries in the first ten minutes but a clever Scott Murrell kick just evaded Moore’s outstretched hand and the men in white and black survived.

Town hit back when a neat kick through by Doran was pounced upon by Chris Murphy in the corner, although Carl Forber was unable land the touchline conversion.

Forber and Doran then combined to enable Jason Mossop to score and put the visitors right back in the game at 12-10.

Fax were disrupted by an injury to Mitch Cahalane who required several minutes treatment on the field before being carefully stretchered off for further medical attention at a Leeds hospital.

Despite some heroic Town defence after the restart, lightning fast Halifax hands eventually saw Tyrer scythe through at pace, then as both penalties and repeated off-loads punished Veivers’ men, Gavin Bennion claimed his first try for Fax and help increase his side’s advantage.

Murrell ramped up the pressure with a 40-20 just before the break and, from the resultant attacking scrum, the Fax captain Murrell was rewarded with a try to send his side in leading 30-10.

Workington emerged with purpose from their half-time rollocking and were quickly on the scoreboard once more when Forber determinedly chased onto Doran’s kick in-goal.

Stack then went close, shaking the uprights as he tried to barge through a ruck of tacklers and Town, playing noticeably more expansively, forced successive sets while causing difficulties in the Fax defence for extended periods.

But, just after the hour, as the Shaymen again began to get their off-load game going, Saltenstall scored in the corner to seemingly make the game safe for the hosts

Yet Perry Whiteley took a Brett Phillips pass to score before hopes rose of a shock comeback when Stack strode through unopposed to touchdown and Forber added the last of his four goals to make it 36-28 with five minutes to play.

Skipper Graeme Mattinson then pounced on a loose ball to score in the corner but it was just too little, too late.

Halifax: Johnston, Sharp, Smeaton, Tyrer, Saltonstall, G Moore, Murrell, Cahalane, Kaye, Ambler, Manning, Tangata, Fairbank, Subs: R Moore, Bennion, Barber, B Moore.

Tries: Smeaton (5), Manning (8), Tyrer (27), Bennison (32), Murrell (39), Saltonstall (61); Goals: Tyrer 6/6

Workington Town: J Murphy, C Murphy, Hulme, Mossop, Carter, Forber, Doran, Walker, Mattinson (c), Shackley, B Phillips, Whiteley, Gee. Subs: Stack, McAvoy, C Phillips, Szostak.

Tries: C Murphy (12), Mossop (18), Forber (44), Whiteley (70), Stack (75), Mattinson (78); Goals: Forber 4/6

Referee: Andrew Sweet

Attendance: 1,296