THarrison

Published at 00:00, Monday, 23 February 2004

WORKINGTON Town's first Cumbrian derby of the season finished all-square after an exciting fight-back against Barrow Raiders.

Ged Stokes' men had been 24-8 adrift five minutes after the restart and appeared to be sliding towards a second successive defeat in the Arriva Trains Cup.

Brett Smith returned to the fray to inspire a remarkable fight-back which almost produced an unlikely victory.

Smith, outstanding early on before being led groggily from the field, returned to score two tries which clawed his side back into contention.

Then seasoned campaigner Graeme Lewthwaite grabbed a try two minutes from time to give Town a draw in what was probably a fitting result to an exciting contest.

Lewthwaite, given a roving role at stand-off by coach Stokes, barged his way over near the line to round-off a stunning recovery.

Town had trailed 24-8 five minutes into the second half but could have eventually won the game as Gareth Skillen, who missed three first-half kicks, had the conversion to snatch victory but saw his effort slide just wide.

After surviving early Barrow pressure, Town responded positively and opened the scoring on seven minutes. Jonny Limmer, again pulled the strings for Town, went on his own from acting half-back and with 15 yards to make to the line he got there with hardly a Barrow hand laid on him.

Skillen missed a straight-forward conversion, and with two other similar kicks going astray, it was an area which proved costly for Town in the final analysis.

But Skillen did his bit for Town by scoring the second try on 22 minutes. A good break from prop David Pettit, who had his best game in a Workington shirt,

saw the scrum-half lending his support to take the pass and make the line.

Pettit, the former Westfield amateur, appears to have bulked-up substantially and he runs with much more purpose, strength and direction now.

At that point, reaching the end of the first quarter, Town had looked in control but then a late surge by Barrow turned the game round.. The Raiders crossed three times in the space of six minutes to lead 18-8 at the change-round.

First it was Mike Whitehead, being tried in the centre, who had the strength to go over from close range after good work from the lively Barry Pugh.

Then a huge up-and-under by Darren Holt wasn't pouched successfully by the leaping Scott Chilton and from the ensuing scramble Andy McClure sent young winger Nick Beach scampering over in the corner.

Two minutes before the hooter Barrow scored again when the experienced Phil Atkinson side-stepped his way through a group of Town tacklers in the shadow of their own posts. Holt converted all three tries.

It got worse for Town before it got better. Five minutes after the resumption Holt darted through from the back of a scrum with the Town cover arriving far too late to stop him. The conversion followed and at 8-24 Workington look doomed.

Barrow clearly have an outstanding prospect in will o-the wisp loose forward Pugh while they also looked a better side with substitute Chris Archer directing operations in midfield.

But Brett Smith, who had staggered off early in the game after taking a knock, came back for Town to help inspire the home revival.

He was well placed to go in on 57 minutes, side-stepping cleverly past the first tackle and then striding over for the try which Skillen improved.

But there were only five minutes left when he went over for his second try, again jinking and shouldering his way over, this time under the posts. Skillen's kick brought them to within four points.

In a grandstand finish Town laid siege to the Barrow line and after several close calls Matt Tunstall scattered several tacklers before Lewthwaite put his head down and forced his way over from close range to level the scores.

Skillen's conversion attempt slid wide but over the 80 minutes a point apiece was the right outcome.

Town: Chilton, Johnson, Frazer, Coulson, Fearon, Lewthwaite, Skillen, Pettit, Limmer, Tunstall, Robinson, Beaumont, B. Smith. Subs (all used) M. Stalker, Caton, McGlasson, Hendry.

Barrow: Pate, J. Smith, Whitehead, McClure, Beach, Atkinson, Holt, Dancer, Clark, Wilcock, Lupton, Leigh, Pugh. Subs (all used) Evans, Archer, Luxon, Dutton.

Referee: Colin Morris, Huddersfield.

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