A 38-12 defeat at London Broncos confirmed that Workington Town will be heading straight back to League One.
But once more, as they have shown since the added strain of the club’s cash struggles were made public, the team reacted bravely in adversity.
In strength-sapping conditions and with injuries disrupting the squad, Town dug in grittily and were only 16-6 adrift at the break.
They even got the first score of the second-half but were unable to build on that and, not for the first time, ran out of steam in the closing quarter.
Workington had been forced into a change as early as the first minute when Malik Steele was injured.
Ryan Scott took over for his second appearance for Town. The Aspatria rugby union player, with league experience with Cockermouth, had played last week at Bradford.
The Broncos, who have climbed out of trouble over the last two months, took the lead on seven minutes when Town’s defence was breached out wide with an unconverted try for Iliess Macani.
Town then enjoyed a long spell of possession and were able to build-up sustained pressure on the home line.
But they couldn’t break through and when they broke to set up an attack Alex Walker jumped highest to collect a kick and dive over. Oliver Leyland converted.
Town thought they had reduced the deficit on 22 minutes when Alex Clegg did well to get away but he was brought back for a forward pass.
Sic minutes later the Broncos were in again when some good hands and clever off-loads put Will Lovell in for the third try which Leyland improved.
It stayed at 16-6 until the interval but four minutes into the second half Ethan Bickerdike managed to spin two defenders and crash over. Carl Forber converted.
Any fight-back was soon dispelled, however, as six minutes later London went in again and by the 59th minute it had moved to 32-6 with tries by Parata, Curran and Ulberg. Leyland converted two.
Town rallied and came back with a try of their own on 62 minutes when Matty Henson burrowed over from close range and Forber added the extras.
Ten minutes from the end London added their seventh try from Walker and Leyland converted.
