Midlands Hurricanes’ Sully Medforth snatches a draw against Workington Town

MIDLANDS HURRICANES 16 WORKINGTON TOWN 16
MARC BAZELEY, Alexander Stadium, Sunday

WORKINGTON had to settle for a share of the spoils in their first league game of the season as Sully Medforth’s late penalty-goal snatched a point for Midlands.

Jonty Gorley’s side were left without a game on opening weekend due to bad weather forcing the postponement of their home clash with Cornwall.

And Town trailed at the break in Birmingham as tries from Matty Hanley and Ellis Hobson helped the Hurricanes into a 10-6 half-time lead.

Medforth looked to have made it very much advantage Midlands with his fine unconverted solo score in the 54th minute.

But Workington seized on errors by the hosts and fought back to lead with the help of Jamie Doran and Jake Carter tries before being denied at the last.

The defences were on top for much of the opening quarter of an hour, with Midlands in particular doing well to keep Workington at bay following Levi Atiga’s break down the right wing from inside his own half.

After Workington stand-off Carter was sinbinned for kicking the ball away on 13 minutes, Midlands made the most of their numerical advantage, shifting the ball down the left for Ryan Johnson to send winger Hanley over for an unconverted try two minutes later.

Despite being a man down, Workington hit back five minutes later as Guy Graham took a pass back inside from dummy-half Callum Phillips and powered through from ten metres out to finish close to the posts. Cole Walker-Taylor added the extras.

Midlands regained the lead in the 26th minute though, thanks to some superb teamwork. Ethan Newboult hoisted up a kick to the right on the last tackle which was knocked back down by Luis Roberts for secondrow Hobson to catch the ball and burst through to finish, with Medforth goaling.

Trailing by four points at the break, Workington’s cause was not helped by losing Caine Barnes to a failed head injury assessment soon after the restart, while a glorious opportunity was wasted by the Cumbrians following Zarrin Galea’s searing break when Lucas Castle knocked on in a tackle.

Medforth did not waste his opportunity in the 54th minute, bursting through space in the Workington line and then riding fullback Walker-Taylor’s tackle to finish wide on the right from around 40 metres out.

The Hurricanes scrum-half endured a nightmare couple of minutes soon after, hitting a post with a kick at goal from a penalty and then knocking on after the hosts were awarded a scrum.

And he was at fault again when he fumbled close to his own line trying to take a kick.

That gave Workington a repeat set and they seized the chance, with interchange hooker Doran scooting over under the posts and Carter converting to cut the deficit to two points with 16 minutes remaining.

Carter made amends for his earlier transgression with seven minutes to go, finishing another attack as he took the ball to the line and nailed the conversion for a two-point lead.

Buy when Workington conceded a penalty for offside close to their own line as time ticked down, Medforth stepped up and ensured it ended honours even.

GAMESTAR: Midlands loose-forward Mikey Wood ran hard every time he got the ball in hand and put in a huge defensive shift as well.

GAMEBREAKER: Jake Carter’s try and conversion ensured Workington came away with something to show from this contest.

MATCHFACTS
HURRICANES
1 Todd Horner
24 Matty Hanley
3 Ryan Johnson
4 Ross Oakes
25 Luis Roberts
26 Ethan Newboult
21 Sully Medforth
8 Jon Luke Kirby
14 Aiden Roden
20 Elliot Morris
15 Aaron Willis
16 Ellis Hobson
13 Mikey Wood
Subs (all used)
9 Daniel Barcoe
18 Zeus Silk
19 Marcus Green
17 Kieran Moran

Tries: Hanley (15), Hobson (26), Medforth (54)
Goals: Medforth 2/5

TOWN
15 Cole Walker-Taylor
2 Levi Atiga
1 Zarrin Galea
3 Rio Corkill
20 Dave Ecclestone
28 Jake Carter
7 Dom Wear
16 Guy Graham
21 Callum Phillips
10 Stevie Scholey
12 Jake Bradley
17 Caine Barnes
13 Jack Stephenson
Subs (all used)
8 Ross Ainley
22 Ellis Archer
9 Jamie Doran
24 Lucas Castle