A clinical Newcastle Thunder showed how much they’ve improved since last season when they beat Workington Town 28-12 at the Fibrus Community Stadium.
It ended Town’s interest in the 1895 Cup and earned Thunder a home tie in the first round against Batley Bulldogs.
This was the first of three matches between the two clubs this season and the first Championship encounter will be at Blaydon RUFC on March 29 – and Town have been warned it will be a tough test again.
Workington hadn’t lost a competition game against Newcastle in four years having won the last four matches by an aggregate score of 198-0 but everyone at the club knew it wouldn’t be like that this time.
A partnership with Super League new boys York Knights and NRL powerhouse Penrith Panthers have seen Thunder changed their dynamics and with Graham Steadman at the helm their strong start to the season has not been a surprise.
An early marauding run from deep by Mason Lewthwaite promised a strong start by Town but that was as good as it got for the hosts in the opening exchanges.
Thunder forced repeated drop-outs as Matty Foster outpaced Evan Lawther to score following a neat kick from Cody Hunter and although the fairly simple conversion was missed by Will Roberts it was a confidence-boosting start for the visitors.
There was nothing more between the sides until just before the stroke of half time when a neat kick through the disorganised Town defence saw Noah Whittingham touchdown and this time Roberts put over the conversion for a 10-0 interval lead.
Thunder then registered their third score nine minutes into the second-half when Jack Smith utilised a huge overlap as Town were at sixes and sevens to touchdown out wide. Roberts conversion made it 16-0.
Town were then behind the post again on the hour as Bradley Ward scored out wide with a convenient gap opening up in the Town defensive line. Roberts kick went on off the post.
Town finally opened their account on 66 minutes when Grant Reid hit a superb line engineered by Jamie Doran to crash over the line unopposed and Jake Carter converted.
Five minutes later Town were in again to close the gap to ten points. Carter was the beneficiary of a delicate kick from Doran and he touched down before landing his second conversion.
A rather fortunate penalty to Newcastle for obstruction halted another promising attack by Town and from the following set Brendan Santi scored a fifth Newcastle try and Roberts landed his fourth conversion.
Town continued to build pressure towards the end but this new-look Newcastle side was not for breaking and they held firm to clinch the home tie with Batley Bulldogs.
For Town it’s a double header next weekend with the Ladies season starting on Saturday against Bronte Barbarians (2pm), while the men host Dewsbury Rams the day after at 3pm.
Attendance: 602
Player of the match: Tyce Walmsley.
Hear Jonty Gorley’s views below:
