It was the Jarrod Sammut show as Workington Town restored some pride with a magnificent win against Bradford.

The visitors were almost over to break the deadlock minutes in but were halted just before the line, before Mitchell Clark spun over the line seconds later for a soft try, which Joe Keyes converted.

Not long after the restart, Town pressure forced a mistake from the Bulls and the hosts regained possession.

The ball reached Theerapol Ritson and the winger burst through the Bulls with a strong run, but they couldn’t capitalise and soon Keyes was romping down Town’s left-hand side.

Danny Addy then crossed the line but couldn’t put the brakes on and went too far when it looked easier to score, with a tackle from Jason Mossop helping to halt the Bulls’ stand-off.

A Town penalty had things looking up and Murphy was again at the heart of the action, ramming through the away side before, moments later, Marc Shackley delivered the goods with a vital try to level it up and Jarrod Sammut added the extras.

Bradford looked dangerous going forward but Town were just about coping and Tom Walker and Stevie Scholey were soon introduced for Kris Coward and Oliver Gordon.

The former caused all sorts of problems with a drive through the middle and Matty Gee came agonisingly close to crossing the line but spilled the ball.

A nice passage of play from Bradford saw them galloping down Town’s left before the ball was zipped across the park and Ethan Ryan crossed to put Town behind again, with Keyes notching another successful conversion.

Ryan Verlinden then joined the action in Jamie Doran’s place as cracks started to appear but the impressive Shackley was like a brick wall again to keep Bradford at bay.

A slick Town attack almost came to something but a slack Liam McAvoy pass dashed their hopes, before Sammut forced a Bradford knock-on and in the ensuing chaos the scrum-half wriggled his way over the line and converted.

Town were playing the better rugby and a tremendous move saw the enigmatic Sammut again go over from a smart Verlinden offload and convert to put Workington, ahead after a pulsating first half.

Bradford recovered from a shaky start in the second half to romp down Town’s left side but Kieren Moss fluffed his lines when a try looked likely to spare Workington.

Minutes later, Sammut found Ritson who squirmed through the smallest of gaps to cross the line but it was denied for Shackley being offside.

Typically, Bradford immediately charged down the pitch from the restart for Ross Oakes to notch a try from a Kyle Haggerty kick, but Keyes missed the goal for the first time.

Sammut again showed his class to stun the visitors with a try out of nothing for his hat-trick, kicking the goal to make it 24-16 to Town.

Walker and Ritson were plugging away at Bradford to give them something to think about, while smart kicking from Sammut was hauling Town up the pitch.

Town were finding their rhythm again when another Haggerty kick put Moss well clear to stroll over for Bradford and close the gap to Workington.

Sammut hit a snarling low kick to restart which Bradford struggled with, but a soft penalty seconds after let the Bulls off the hook.

Town were tiring and a near Town try on the right side broke down with a Declan Hulme error.

Bradford though they had taken the lead but offside was given, only for Dale Ferguson to crash over the line moments later, although Keyes again failed to convert.

And the Zebra Claims Stadium exploded in the dying minutes as Ritson barrelled through Bradford to score Workington’s fifth try and retake the lead.

Sammut missed his conversion to put hearts in mouths before the hooter went but the star delivered with a goal seconds after to cap a special Workington display.

Town: Murphy, Hulme, Gee, Mossop, Ritson, Forber, Sammut, Coward, Doran, Gordon, Shackley, McAvoy, Olstrom. Subs (all used): Walker, Verlinden, Scholey, Szostak.

Tries: Shackley, Sammut 3, Ritson

Goals: Sammut 5/6

Bradford: Moss, Rickett, Mellor, Oakes, Ryan, Addy, Keyes, Clark, Howarth, Kavanagh, Pitts, Haggerty, Olbison. Subs (all used): O’Brien, Ferguson, Kirk, Sidlow.

Tries: Clark, Ryan, Oakes, Moss, Ferguson

Goals: Keyes 3/5

Penalties: 13-8

HT: 18-12

Referee: Scott Mikalauskas (St. Helen’s)

Attendance: 596

Star Man: Jarrod Sammut