Workington Town lost 40-24 at Oldham last night which means they will finish fifth in League One whatever happens in their final game at home to Hunslet on Sunday.
Two late Town tries made it a more respectable score-line after the Roughyeds had threatened to run away with it in the second-half.
It took only eight minutes for the home side to go ahead with a simple try for Kian Morgan after they had over-loaded on the left. Martyn Ridyard converted.
The lead was doubled on 12 minutes when a powerful charge by Luke Nelmes took him over the Town line with Ridyard again converting.
Workington had been kept penned back for most of the opening 15 minutes but a penalty enabled them to get a foothold in Oldham territory which led to their first score.
Town flooded forward down the right and Ethan Bickerdike was able to touchdown and Cieran Walker added the extras.
A knock on near the line prevented Oldham increasing their lead but then Town enjoyed some strong pressure with the home side defending grimly on their own line and having to clear from two enforced drop-outs.
It was no surprise at that point when Workington reduced the arrears as Joe Kirkup used his strength to muscle his way over on the half-hour mark and Walker’s conversion brought the sides level.
That seemed to rouse Oldham again and a minute later they regained the lead through the elusive Jordan Paga with Ridyard adding the extras.
Oldham continued to pressurise the Town line and a minute before the break they ran a penalty which ended in Nick Rawsthorne going in for an unconverted try.
Town had come back well after a slow start to gain parity and then lose the initiative in the last 10 minutes of the half.
They didn’t help the cause when knocking-on at the second-half kick-off and from the scrum Oldham worked it out to the flank where Pat Ah Van dived in for a try which Ridyard converted.
Following a brief spell of Workington pressure Oldham hit back and on 49 minutes increased their lead. A break by George Hirst, followed by a powerful surge by Deane Meadows ended with Kieran Tyrer diving over for the try which Ridyard improved.
On 55 minutes the game had gone for Town as Rawsthorne swept over for his second try, Ridyard converted and with just over a quarter of the game left Oldham led 40-12.
Credit to Workington they did not concede again, and although it became scrappy and feisty, the Cumbrians were able to make inroads and score two more tries.
Blain Marwood went over on 64 minutes and four minutes later Luke Charlton barged over with Walker converting both.
In a feisty conclusion there were no more points but three yellow cards, two of them to Town players. The game, which was Oldham’s return to Boundary Park, was watched by 1,283.
