ZEBRAS MAINTAIN PROMOTION HUNGER WITH SIXTH TASTE OF VICTORY

Workington kept up their promotion hopes from Cumbria League Two by sealing their sixth win in succession with a comfortable 68 - 3 triumph over Aspatria Eagles at The Ellis.

The victory moves The Zebras to equal second alongside Carlisle Crusaders and only 5 points behind leaders Silloth.

Barely a minute had elapsed after kick off when Grant Reid finished off the opening attack as he breezed over the whitewash to set up an easy conversion for Sam Robinson and three minutes later Kieran Davies increased the lead as he stormed through for an unconverted try.

Aspatria recovered from this early onslaught and gradually settled into the game by not only stemming the Zebras' tide but also getting forward themselves and indeed they came very close to scoring after 10 minutes but with the tryline at their mercy they were scupppered by dogged Workington tackling. However their persistence was rewarded with a penalty five minutes later that opened their account.

Clearly Workington were disappointed with losing the chance of a clean sheet and on 17 minutes punished their visitors with another try when another well crafted play saw Jonny Howarth cut the defence to shreds by going under the posts for Robinson to collect another simple conversion

Five minutes later, Howarth turned provider as he and John McCrickerd combined to set Mark Murphy on his way and with a blistering thrust of pace he coasted home for Zebras 4th try and secure the all-important Bonus Point. Once again, the ever efficient Robinson converted the extras.

The Eagles made another couple of visits into Zebras' territory but for all their possesion, could not find a way through Workington's well marshalled rearguard and in the closing five minutes of the first half they fell even further behind as Workington stepped up another gear as McCrickerd exposed the threadbare Aspatria backline with two well taken tries, both converted effortlessly by Robinson.

Only three minutes of the second half had passed before McCrickerd received the ball on halfway and fending off several challenges, doggedly ploughed his way over the line for his 12th try of the season and 2nd successive hat trick on home soil, which Robinson wasted no time in converting.

Far from surrendering, Aspatria regrouped and were once more able to blunt the Zebras cavalry with firm and steady defending whilst creating more dangerous attacks of their own.

But it could not last and on the hour, Workington registered their 8th try of the afternoon when Robinson helped himself to a try which he duly converted.

The Zebras took advantage of Aspatria's weariness and two more tries in the final 5 minutes wrapped up proceedings as the ever alert Howarth and the pin sharp Davies clinched their second tries respectively with Robinson converting both to give him a well deserved final points total of 23.

By John Hastings @ The ESG