Workington Town have got off to the best start possible to their League 1 season by beating one of their biggest rivals Oldham 32-28 in a very close encounter.

The game has swing back and forth with both teams having the upper hand at times but it was an exciting start to the season in front of 765 fans at the Vestacare Stadium.

And the game literally went to the wire with controversy in the dying seconds but it was Town who have come up with the plaudits and the points.

Most of the first half action came in the opening quarter with two tries apiece for the two squads in a frenzied opening.

Workington Town got off to the best possible start as Elliott Miller touched down in just the second minute when he latched on to a kick through from Carl Forber, with the half-back tagging on the extras.

And the visitors had soon doubled their lead when Oldham lost possession close to their own line and full-back Tyllar Mellor went on his own to touch down, with Forber again adding the conversion for 12-0 and Town in the ascendency.

The Roughyeds came back into the game shortly after when Phil Joy crashed over and the conversion is added by Dave Hewitt.

Oldham kept up the pressure and it was Richie Hawkyard who broke through to score a key try, with Hewitt's conversion levelling the game back up at 12-12.

The home side went in front for the first time after 17 minutes as a penalty for a high tackle on Joy allowed the boot of Hewitt to edge them ahead.

The scoring slowed down for a while but then Town got a crucial try just ahead of half time as Miller went over for his second of the afternoon. The conversion was missed but Workington have the slight upper hand at 16-14.

And they got off to another superb start in the second half as they extended that lead when Perry Singleton touched down in the far corner. Again the kick from the touchline was not successful but Town were six points clear.

It didn't last long though as the Roughyeds came back at their visitors with Aaron Jones Bishop getting on the end of a kick on the last from Kershaw and Hewitt converted for 20-20.

Oldham got a couple of successive penalties and Hewitt looked to add two more points but missed much to the delight of the Town faithful.

But the home side did go in front on 59 minutes when Jones Bishop picked up his second of the afternoon and Hewitt converted from the touchline to lead 26-20.

And they edged a further two points ahead when Hewitt slotted over a penalty.

Town were throwing everything at the Oldham defence and they were held up over the line on two occasions as they fought to get back into the game.

Then Gordon Maudling set up a grandstand finish when he crossed the try line and Forber added the extras to get to within two points of their hosts with seven minutes remaining.

And just a couple of minutes ahead of the hooter Sean Penkywicz delighted the Town fans as he put them back in front as he dived over the line and Forber converted for 32-28.

Right at the end of the game Town survived a fright as it looked as though Oldham had gone over the line but the referee chalked it off and Town took the honours.