Keighley Cougars 28, Workington Town 20

Paul March was left mightily relieved tonight as his Cougars survived a stunning second-half fightback from Workington to climb off the bottom of the Kingstone Press Championship.

It was a match which March’s team simply dared not lose, and they just about hung on to breathe new life into their fight against relegation.

First-half tries from back-rower Brendon Rawlins, skipper James Feather and winger Paul White, plus six goals from Scott Leatherbarrow, sent Cougars in at the break with a 24-0 advantage.

Ollie Pursglove added a fourth try in the 45th minute to put Cougars 28-0 up and apparently in total control.

Yet the Cumbrian visitors fashioned an impressive response to claim tries through Peter Lupton, Karl Olstrum, Elliott Miller and Mark Calderwood to claim a deserved losing bonus point.

Cougars’ first-half performance was built on aggression and obstinate defending, plus some smart finishing, as March’s men finally awoke to the seriousness of their plight.

Workington, boasting some stellar names such as ex-Leeds and Hull FC trio Calderwood, Jamie Thackray and Ewan Dowes, were a distinct second best throughout the first half as Cougars began like a steam train.

March, James Haley and Joe Chandler all returned to the side as Cougars went about ending their dismal six-match losing streak.

They were also boosted by the inclusion of Elliott Cosgrove at left centre following his move from Dewsbury on a permanent transfer.

Cougars began with purpose and led in the seventh minute when Rawlins crossed from close range from Danny Jones’ neat, short offload.

Leatherbarrow, who partnered March in the halves, added the extras and then tagged on a penalty as Workington began to incur the wrath of the referee.

Indeed, the penalty count began to weigh heavily against the Cumbrians, and Leatherbarrow booted another two-pointer soon after.

Cougars then claimed their second try in the 27th minute when Feather barrelled over the line from acting half from close range and Leatherbarrow made it 16-0.

The former Wigan junior then kicked two more penalties before Cougars claimed their third try on the stroke of half-time when some fine handling culminated in White crossing the line in the left corner.

Whatever Workington coach Gary Charlton said to his players at half-time clearly had the desired effect as they came back strongly in the second period.

Although Cougars stretched their lead through a fourth try from Pursglove, who crashed over from close range, the pendulum quickly swung in Workington’s favour to devastating effect.

In the 48th minute, Lupton went over after a period of sustained pressure on Cougars’ line, and then four minutes later Olstrum crossed from a central position after some neat footwork.

Workington continued to rally and were rewarded again when Miller crossed the line in the left corner in the 62nd minute after a review from video referee Ian Smith.

Remarkably, the visitors struck again four minutes later when Calderwood finished with aplomb in the right corner to cut Cougars’ lead to eight points.

The try was awarded again after a review from Smith but Brett Carter missed the conversion attempt and Cougars survived a tense finale to hold on for victory.

Keighley Cougars: Jones; Duffy, Haley, Cosgrove, White; March, Leatherbarrow; Shickell, Feather, Sheriffe, Pursglove, Chandler, Rawlins. Subs: Hesketh, Law, Parkinson, Lynam.

Workington Town: Carter; Miller, Connor, Morris, Calderwood; Lupton, Forber; Dowes, Mattinson, Walne, Thackray, Stack, Olstrum. Subs: Shackley, Robinson, Phillips, Craven.