MATCH PREVIEW: WORKINGTON TOWN (H) - LEAGUE ONE (ROUND 2)

The Alexander Stadium

Canes look to go two from two against Town

After a month away from the Midlands and two games on the road in-between, the Canes return to The Alexander Stadium where they will host Cumbrian outfit Workington Town. Coming back to Birmingham following a gruelling contest in torrid conditions, in which the Canes emerged 16-14 victors over Goole Vikings at The Victoria Pleasure Ground, Head Coach Mark Dunning will be hoping the Canes can go back-to-back against a Town outfit that will be looking for revenge after a disappointing 2024 League One campaign.

Whilst not entering this game on the back of a 100% win record, Mark will undoubtedly be happy with the Midlands pre-season and the fact this momentum carried into the Vikings fixture two weeks ago. Strong victories over Siddal and Whitehaven in the Challenge Cup and 1895 Cup respectively earned the Canes ties against Salford Red Devils and Keighley Cougars, and whilst Midlands fans will have been disappointed to have bowed out of both competitions following those ties, there were plenty of positives to take away from those games (in particular the efforts displayed by the young and ambitious side that travelled to Cougar Park three weeks ago).

After failing to beat Workington since their first-ever win over the club at the Butts Park Arena in 2019 (41-30), the Hurricanes bested Town on all three occasions last season. Our first win saw us emerge from Derwent Park with a 26-16 win following a fiery encounter that saw no fewer than three players dismissed by the referee. Three months later the Canes hosted Town at The Alex, and a strong first-half showing from the Canes meant that a resurgence in the second-half from the visitors could not stop Midlands finishing the game 34-22 victors. Just a few weeks later the two sides met for the third and final time in the Betfred League One Elimination Play-Off, and a scrappy war of attrition saw Jake Sweeting’s decision to kick numerous penalties pay dividends as the game ended 24-22 in the Canes favour.

Looking to this season, Town are yet to play a Betfred League One fixture after their Round One home fixture with Cornwall was postponed due to adverse weather conditions and a waterlogged pitch. However, they have still had an active pre-season with four games in both friendly and cup competitions. Their only pre-season “friendly” saw a late try from Whitehaven result in an 18-12 defeat for the Ike Southward Memorial Trophy, but they bounced back from the derby-day defeat by making short work of The Royal Navy in a 56-0 victory during the Second Round of the Challenge Cup. This win earned them a mouth-watering Third Round home-tie against Super League side Leigh Leopards, and a crowd of just over 3,000 saw the Cumbrians fall to a 60-0 defeat. In their final pre-season fixture, after receiving a bye into the Second Preliminary Round of the 1895 Cup Workington were unable to advance into the First Round Proper after losing 18-10 at Derwent Park to Dewsbury Rams.

The 21-man squads released by both clubs are set out below. In addition to being without long-term injured players Sam Bowring (knee) and Josh Jordan-Roberts (shoulder), Mark will be also be without Matty Chrimes (hand) and has rested other players for the Workington fixture, but will be hoping will be available for selection for the Keighley Cougars fixture at Cougar Park in two weeks.

21-Man Squads:

Midlands Hurricanes
1 - Todd Horner (Sponsored by Yorkshire Ceiling Services)
3 - Ryan Johnson (Sponsored by Hull Wyke Rugby League)
4 - Ross Oakes (Sponsored by Geoff and Maureen Hammond)
8 - Jon-Luke Kirby (C) (Sponsored by EJ Interiors Ltd)
9 - Danny Barcoe (Sponsored by St Katherine’s Carpets)
11 - Tom Wilkinson (Sponsored by JW Visual)
13 - Mikey Wood (Sponsored by MG Electrical Contractors Ltd)
14 - Aiden Roden (Sponsored by Enjoy Travel Group)
15 - Aaron Willis (Available to Sponsor)
16 - Ellis Hobson (Sponsored by GLLEE UK Ltd)
17 - Kieran Moran (Available to Sponsor)
18 - Zeus Silk (Sponsored by This is Warrior)
19 - Marcus Green (Available to Sponsor)
20 - Elliott Morris (Sponsored by GLR Energy Ltd)
21 - Sullivan Medforth (Sponsored by Ideal Building Systems)
22 - Jose Kenga (Sponsored by Lonbridge Taiho Jutsu)
24 - Matty Hanley (Sponsored by JGE Wholesale)
25 - Luis Roberts (Sponsored by Crypto Construction)
26 - Ethan Newboult (Sponsored by Leeds Rugby Club)
32 - Chris Cullimore (Sponsored by Autex Acoustics)
00 - Joe Hartley (Loanee)

Workington Town
Ross Ainley
Ellis Archer
Levi Atiga
Caine Barnes
Jake Bradley
Jake Carter
Lucas Castle
Rio Corkill
Jamie Doran
David Eccleston
Spencer Fulton
Zarrin Galea
Guy Graham
Cooper Howlett
Jonny Hutton
Callum Phillips
Stevie Scholey
Jack Stephenson
Ciaran Walker
Cole Walker-Taylor
Dom Wear

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