Workington Town snatched a dramatic 29-28 win at Rochdale Hornets with a field goal in the last minute from recent recruit Jack Mallinson.
It was a fine come-back from the Town who had been 22-8 behind at half-time and for the second time in a row produced their best performance in the second half.
They had trailed 18-6 at home to North Wales Crusaders on Good Friday but came back to win it 20-18 with a penalty after the final hooter.
Mallinson had played trials for Rochdale early in the season before being invited to try his luck at Derwent Park and recently signed a deal until the end of the season.
Rochdale had set a strong pace at the start and were ahead on five minutes with a try from Jack Arnold which was converted by Dave Hewitt.
But Workington rallied well and on 13 minutes reduced the arrears with a try from Jordan Thomson which Ciaran Walker was unable to convert.
Hornets restored their lead on 19 minutes with an unconverted try by Lewis Else but Hewitt couldn’t add the extras.
Both sides were reduced to 12 men on 25 minutes when Rochdale’s Will Telleke and Town’s Steve Scholey were sent to the sin bin.
The handicap seemed to affect Rochdale least and they started to produce their best rugby of the season, extending their lead on 29 minutes with a try from Dan Nixon after a great take. Hewitt converted.
It was still 12 against 12 when Else went in for his second try and Hewitt’s conversion made it 22-4.
But just as they did against North Wales, after a disappointing half on the back foot, crucially Town scored a try just before the hooter when Earl Hurst crossed but again the conversion failed.
During the break there was work to do again for coach Anthony Murray and he got an instant response. Three minutes into the second-half Ethan Bickerdike went over for a try which Walker improved.
Ten minutes into the second half Town had cut the gap to two points as Matty Henson went over and Walker tacked on the extras.
By the 58th minute they were level with a penalty from Walker and the momentum had really changed.
So much so that on the hour a Walker try, which he converted, gave them the lead for the first time in the game.
But on 66 minutes Nixon’s second try of the game, converted by Hewitt, had the sides locked together at 28-28.
It stayed that way until the 79th minute when Mallinson popped-up with the winning field goal.
