Last updated 19:49, Thursday, 09 October 2008

MIKE Hawley scored his second hat-trick in as many weeks to help Workington to a 46-12 win over Fleetwood in the North Lancs Cumbria League.

BREAKAWAY: Dion Seath breaks away on a try-scoring run

It was a good victory by the Zebras – their third success in a row after losing their opening game at Tyldesley.

Fleetwood lost prop Craig Hopkinson with an injury after only nine minutes and as their replacement front rower hadn’t arrived by then, the game went to uncontested scrums for a while.

Workington also had their problems as Johnny Howarth felt ill and had to be replaced in the home back division.

It was Fleetwood who opened the scoring when they were awarded a penalty try which was converted by Ryan Riches.

Workington reduced the arrears on 20 minutes when Mike Hawley chased a kick from halfway which was badly dealt with by two Fleetwood defenders and he re-gathered to score out wide.

The arrival of the Fleetwood replacement meant normal service was resumed in the scrums and soon afterwards Workington went in front.

It proved to be the best try of the game as it followed four or five good phases of play in which Ross Dougherty and Neil Hastings had major roles before Kevin Harper went 50 yards to score a try which he converted himself.

Conditions were awful so mistakes were commonplace but Workington soon built on their 12-7 interval lead.

After only 10 minutes Ben Lanighan celebrated his return from Penrith when he went in for an unconverted try, soon followed over by Hawley and this time Harper converted.

Harper landed a penalty on the hour and then winger Mark Hunton finished off a blind-side break by racing in behind the posts. Harper converted.

On 63 minutes, with Workington in full cry, Hawley completed his hat-trick as he showed his soccer skills to steer the ball round the full-back and then dive on it to touchdown. Harper converted.

The final Workington try came on 70 minutes as Hunton again finished off a blindside run.

On the last minute of the game Fleetwood got some reward for a late spell of pressure as Kiwi number eight Richard Brookfield went over for an unconverted try.

Tomorrow Workington travel to Heaton Moor, who drew 6-6 at Keswick on Saturday.

Like everywhere else it was played in atrocious conditions – with the strong wind really benefiting neither side.

Keswick had it behind them in the first half but struggled to harness it to their advantage.

John Hine kicked two penalties but Heaton Moor, in their only visit to the Keswick 22, were awarded a penalty which they kicked.

When Heaton Moor levelled-up with a second penalty two minutes into the second half, it looked as though the Stockport side would come through to win it.

But Keswick responded superbly and took the game to their visitors – going close through Mark Ireland, Jamie McKenzie and Andy Wallace.

Heaton Moor didn’t get another chance to get in front and it was Keswick who were the better side over the second half.

Tomorrow Keswick are on the road, paying a visit to Oldham.

After two successive league defeats, Wigton got back to winning ways at Lowmoor Road with a 20-5 victory over Burnley.

Tactical changes beforehand paid off, with David Hanabury, switched to full-back, picking-up the man-of-the-match award from the sponsors just ahead of back row forward Stuart Creighton.

Richard Moffat was moved inside to play centre while David Warwick was switched to fly-half.

The Greens couldn’t have asked for a better start, opening the scoring after only four minutes.

Dan Reed made the break down the blind-side and had support from Hanabury, who showed searing pace to go 40 yards before slipping the perfect pass to Tom Gardner, who finished off in the corner.

Possession was fairly even but Wigton were having the better of things and they doubled their lead when skipper Matthew Atkinson scored the second try after good work by Warwick, Hanabury and Andy Brown.

Andrew Logue increased the Wigton lead on the half -hour when he kicked a penalty from 45 metres.

Wigton had to reorganise when Moffat twisted a knee and was replaced by John Proudlock with Gardner moving inside to centre.

Wigton’s ball retention against the elements was good in the second half and they controlled the game for long periods.

The crucial third try came on the hour when Chris Pattinson put in a splendid mid-field tackle which saw the ball dislodged. It was picked up by Gardner and he raced 60 metres for his second try, which Logue converted.

Wigton had Brown sent to the sin-bin for obstruction on 65 minutes and just before he was due to return Dave Leck put Graham Gregory in for a consolation try.

Wigton travel to Fleetwood tomorrow and coach Malcolm Brown will be getting information from his Workington contacts.

n THE bad weather also prevailed in the North East as Aspatria’s game at winless Durham City was marred by incessant rain.

Neither team mastered poor conditions, resulting in a game littered with handling errors, although the Black Reds were able to return with the spoils from a 14-0 victory.

In a close first half, both teams had periods of dominance and good field position. Aspatria’s lighter pack were under pressure in the set-piece scrummaging but defensively they were well organised and Durham City looked unlikely to break the line.

The visitors were near to taking the lead on 20 minutes when fly half Mike Scott intercepted a careless Durham pass in his own half.

Scott raced for the line but was closed down by a fast defence and forced to kick. Aspatria winger Mark Lister just lost out in the footrace for the ball.

The second half started in spectacular fashion. A poor restart from Durham City gifted the ball straight into the arms of second row Mark Cottam. He made excellent ground before releasing the ball to start the best handling move of the game.

Scrum half Jack Clegg and second-rower Dickie Miller were all present to keep the ball alive before a final pass to Gary Hodgson saw him through under the posts.

Near-perfect rugby was completed by Scott adding the conversion.

This early score deflated the home team and Aspatria dominated from that point.

A second and decisive score followed on 55 minutes when Aspatria pressure resulted in Durham spilling the ball in their own half. Man-of-the-match Hodgson hacked through twice, diving on the ball to score his second. Scott had an easy conversion to take the score to 14-0.