Dial M for a cup run

Reds will take a break from league action over the next two weekends as they embark on different cup competitions.

First up on Saturday (3pm) is an away tie at Mirehouse in the Cumberland Cup followed, a week later, with home advantage in the FA Trophy versus Morpeth Town.

The club were given permission by the NPL to play the Cumberland Cup tie at the weekend because we had no scheduled league match that day.

And today’s draw saw the Workington ‘ball’ first out of the velvet bag and paired with league rivals, Morpeth Town, for a fourth successive home tie in The Isuzu FA Trophy, one of five ‘all NPL’ Premier Division pairings in the competition.

The prize money for the Third Qualifying Round of the Trophy is £2,450 and £625 for the winners and losers respectively.

Reds, Cumberland Cup winners for the last two seasons, have fell at the first hurdle in the Trophy for the last three years – losing at home to Dunston (0-1) in 2021, Runcorn Linnets (1-2) in 2022 and Hyde United (1-3).

Both ties will be decided on the day with the potential of extra time and penalties in the Cumberland Cup but straight to a penalty shoot-out in the Trophy if the scores are level after ninety minutes.