WORKINGTON TOWN 23 LIONS 20: An ugly off-the-ball tackle on Ian Watson in the latter stages of the first half may have cost the Whitefield-based Lions victory in this exciting end-to-end National League Two encounter.

"I thought the tactic of taking a player out of the game had disappeared years ago, but looking at this game perhaps it hasn't," said Lions' coach Paul Kidd.

"If Ian had been on the pitch in the last ten minutes or so I feel we could have taken the points."

Watson was taken to hospital with a suspected fractured eye socket.

After an equal opening 15 minutes Town took the lead when Lusi Sione went in at the corner and Manihera converted; five minutes later he added a penalty goal to stretch Towns lead.

The Lions hit back 13 minutes from the break when Marsh went over by the posts from an English pass, also adding the goal points.

It was during the the build-up to this score that Ian Watson was hit off the ball and Alan McGuiness was placed on report.

Manihera then stretched town's lead before Phil Joseph put the Lions ahead with a well worked try and Marsh again added the simple goal points.

Town went back into the lead four minutes into the second half when Sione raced 70 metres to score in the corner, but Manihera was off-target with his conversion.

Within three minutes the Lions stormed ahead again.

Town knocked on at the kick-off and pressure on the line saw Chris Maye race in on the left, but Marsh was unable to convert.

Manihera levelled the scores with a simple penalty goal in the 53rd minute, Marsh then missed a long range effort against the strong wind on the hour.

Lee Kiddie added a drop goal in the 67th minute to put Town back ahead.

Two minutes later he added a try under the posts, with Manihera converting to give the home side a seven point lead.

The Lions hit back again six minutes from time when Wayne English jinked through the town defence to go over in the left corner.

Unfortunately Marsh was unable to convert against the wind and Town held on for victory.

LIONS: English, Oldham, Patterson, Maye, Irwin, Coates, Watson, Heaton, Joseph, Rogers, Leigh, Sinfield, Marsh. Subs: Thorpe (not used), Barton, Parry, Whittaker.

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National League Two

P W D L F A Diff Pts

York 10 8 0 2 399 203 196 16

Dewsbury 10 8 0 2 317 197 120 16

Hunslet 10 7 0 3 272 189 83 14

Workington 10 7 0 3 311 301 10 14

Swinton 10 6 0 4 366 250 116 12

Sheffield 10 5 0 5 248 296 -48 10

Gateshead 10 4 0 6 241 303 -62 8

Keighley 10 3 0 7 221 258 -37 6

London Skolars 10 1 0 9 159 338 -179 2

Blackpool 10 1 0 9 166 365 -199 2

Ian Rigg