Gritty Fax triumph in Cumbrian mudbath

Richard Marshall’s side, beaten at Sheffield a week ago, led 8-0 at the break and never really looked like being threatened against an enthusiastic but limited Town side.

Whether the game should have been played at all was up for discussion, with rumours of impending postponement persisting until the teams finally emerged just after 3pm.

But with pools of standing water and ankle deep mud in several areas, this was never going to be a classic contest.

The visitors for the most part did what they needed to during a predictably attritional first half, kicking deep and defending strongly.

They took the lead on 18 minutes when winger Jake Eccleston, called up in place of Ben Johnston, flopped over in the corner after half back Gareth Moore and centre Steve Tyrer created the chance on the short side.

Tyrer missed a difficult conversion and the score remained at 4-0 until five minutes before the break when Halifax’s Ryan Maneely grabbed his side’s second.

Dane Manning did the spadework with a strong drive and quick play the ball and the replacement hooker did the rest from close range for an 8-0 half time scoreline.

The visitors were even meaner after the break, with Town struggling to make it into opposition territory.

The pressure finally told when prop Luke Ambler charged over with 16 minutes remaining, Tyrer converting to put Halifax into a decisive 14-0 lead.

Halifax crowned a tricky afternoon’s work with a late try from Manning, Tyrer converting.

Halifax:Sharp; Eccleston, Heaton, Tyrer, Saltonstall; G. Moore, Murrell; Ambler, Kaye, Cahalane, Divorty, Manning, Fairbank. Subs: Tangata, Maneely, R. Moore, Barber

Workington: Murphy; Forrester, Hulme, Mossop, Ritson; Forber, Doran; Coward, Mattinson, Gordon, Phillips, Whiteley, McAvoy. Subs: Scholey, Olstrum, Shackley, Rooney

Referee: Jamie Bloem