Workington Town 32 Newcastle Thunder 30: Workington Town just edged part one of a thrilling double-header with Newcastle Thunder by the narrowest of margins at Derwent Park.

Town took the league points when they won 32-30 after coming back from an 18-0 deficit in the early stages but it was not an easy victory.

The opening moments were all Newcastle and Town fans were looking nervous as the visitors took an 18-0 lead but, in the final 15 minutes of the half, Workington struck back.

They crashed over for three tries, all converted by Carl Forber to put the two sides level once more at the break.

The game did not set off in the best manner for the home side as it was Newcastle who put the first points on the board as Aaron Ollett crashed over the whitewash, with Jy-Mel Coleman converting.

Workington looked to strike back at their visitors but Stevie Scholey was held up over the line and then nobody could get on the end of a neat little kick from Jamie Doran on the last.

But Newcastle were again immediately back on the hunt and, in the end, it proved too easy as Keal Carlile popped up a ball for former Town star Liam McAvoy to run on to and a gap opened up in front of him to score.

Coleman had an easy two-pointer and Workington found themselves 12 points down with just 13 minutes of the clash gone.

It only got worse as Newcastle full-back Lewis Young danced his way through the defence to score and Coleman converted from wide out to stretch their advantage to 18-0.

Town made a couple of substitutions with Sam Hopkins and Fuifui Moimoi joining the fray and it seemed to spur the home side on.

Close to the line, Sean Penkywicz popped the pass out to the onrushing Hopkins and he burst over the line, taking several defenders with him. Forber stepping up to convert.

The biggest cheers came on the half-hour mark when it looked as though Town were struggling in the middle of the field. But Doran had other ideas and he put in a lovely little chip and chase.

He managed to kick the ball on and it popped up nicely for Scott Rooke to collect and race over, with Forber on target once more to bring the home side to within six points.

And just two minutes before the break, Doran kicked early and gave Town perfect field position with a 40/20. Town pressed the Newcastle line but to no avail and then, on the last, Doran again put up a great kick to the corner and Elliott Miller won the leaping contest to bring it back down and touch down.

Forber's conversion from wide out was enough to see the two sides back on level terms at half-time with all to play for in the second half.

Into the second half and Workington finally edged in front when Forber slotted over a penalty goal.

An incident was then put on report as Newcastle tipped Olstrom in the tackle and the ref was quick to stop play.

But it only seemed to spur Town on as, after holding out Newcastle on their own try-line, they went up to the opposite end of the field and picked up a crucial try.

Moimoi went close as his outstretched arm in the tackle was just short of the line but Workington quickly whipped it out to the left-hand side where Perry Singleton charge over, with Forber converting for 26-18.

Workington were looking to extend their lead with a kick to the corner but Miller just couldn't quite touch it down in the corner.

But moments later, they had stretched it to 32-18 when Penkywicz used his experience with a little bounce kick that looped over the first defender and was then tapped backwards by Tyllar Mellor into the arms of the supporting Doran who dropped over the line. Forber converting.

Newcastle had not given up though and they were continually pressing with half-back Cory Aston diving over the line to set-up a tense finish, when Coleman added the extras.

And it got even more stressful for the home fans when Newcastle quickly whipped it out wide and Joseph Brown took a good long ball to score in the corner, with Coleman on target from the touchline to bring the score back to within two points.

It was a frantic few minutes from both sides with Newcastle just putting in a forward pass in the dying seconds to relieve the pressure on the home side.

Doran ran the ball out as the hooter sounded and it was Workington who won by the narrowest of margins and now turn their attention on to next week when the two sides clash again in the Challenge Cup.