Rams secure first away victory of the season in Cumbria against Workington Town.
Sunday provided a second trip to Workington this season for the Rams who had suffered defeat at Derwent Park in the Challenge Cup back in February. The Rams knew that only a victory against already relegated Workington would keep their slim hopes of survival alive.
The opening to the game was tense, with both sides looking to complete their sets and apply some pressure on the other’s line. The first major chance of the game fell to Workington who were only stopped by some great last ditch defending.
The Rams started to turn the screw around the twenty-minute mark, having three consecutive sets on the Town line, this pressure finally told when Jon-Luke Kirby went over to score and when Paul Sykes converted, the Rams had a well-earned six-point lead.
After spending much of the rest of the half exerting pressure on the home side’s line, it was a Workington attack that gifted the Rams a second try on the hooter. A stray pass down the Town left fell into the hands of Lewis Carr who gleefully ran the length of the field to score. Sykes’ conversion made it a twelve-point lead at the break.
Workington answered back straight away in the second half, an early score by Conor Fitzsimmons brought them back into the game. The Rams soon replied though when the returning Dale Ferguson fired over from close range to extend the lead to fourteen.
However, the Rams have had a habit of making things difficult for themselves this season and when Workington scored two quick fire tries through Ethan Bickerdike and Matty Henson they came within two points of the Rams.
Both sides then had chances to score in the last twenty, but it was Aidan McGowan who all but secured the victory for the Rams in the seventy eighth minute sliding into score on the right-hand side.
Unfortunately, with results going against the Rams elsewhere the situation is looking very bleak, but will be proud of a performance that showed grit and determination and handed Liam Finn his first victory as Head Coach.
After the game Rams Head Coach Liam Finn said, “It feels very good to get the win, a bit scrappy second half but the first time we were going to get a win it wasn’t going to be a forty-niller, it just doesn’t work like that. I’m really glad to get over the line today, really glad for the lads to taste that victory.”
Next up we face our neighbours Batley Bulldogs in front of the Premier Sports cameras on Monday 29th August (19:45).
Workington Town (16): Thomas, Young, Brown, Bickerdike, Clegg, Henson, Forber, Clarke, Simons, Terrill, Fitzsimmons, Steele, Doran
Interchanges: O’Brien, Weetman, Kirkup, Scholey
Tries: Fitzsimmons (44’), Bickerdike (54’), Henson (58’)
Conversions: Forber (2/3)
Dewsbury Rams (22): McGowan, Carr, Greensmith, Ryder, Dixon, Sykes, Sweeting, Beckett, Butterworth, Ferguson, Davies, Graham, Mathiou.
Interchanges: Walker, Stevens, Kirby, Knowles
Tries: Kirby (22’), Carr (40’), Ferguson (50’), McGowan (77’)
Conversions: Sykes (3/4)
