Recap
This was a contest for forty-five minutes but, over the ninety, Workington were second best and can have no complaints about the eventual outcome. Indeed, it could be argued that they got off lightly in the end as Ashton came close to avenging that 5-0 defeat suffered in Cumbria this time last year.
Yet in the town where Sir Geoff Hurst was born, there was ‘a shot against the crossbar incident’ which carried a bit of irony. Hurst’s famous ‘no-goal’ in 1966 helped England win the World Cup but Jamie Allen’s thumping shot cannoned off the underside of the bar and bounced down on the line with play allowed to continue.
That fifth minute incident prompted a good start from the visitors and an even better attempt, a twenty-five yarder from Kai Nugent, was matched by Conor O’Keefe’s vital finger-tip save at the expense of a corner.
O’Keefe made a more routine stop to deny Steven Rigg’s close-range effort at the near post, following another corner, before Ashton survived a bit of self-inflicted drama.
Kaedyn Kamara dispossessed Sam Baird, presenting him with a clear run towards goal and a golden opportunity to put Workington ahead. But Baird atoned for his error, recovered to challenge the Reds teenager and, when the loose ball fell to Rigg, O’Keefe pushed away his shot to safety.
Then to compound Workington’s frustration at the other end, Ashton scored the opener against the run of play.
Nathan Lowe was allowed time and space to send a cross in from the right and Reds’ defenders lost their bearings as the unmarked Louis White volleyed in the opener at the back post.
Ashton themselves had been wasteful with four earlier opportunities although Alex Mitchell knew very little about a shot which rebounded off his right-hand post.
Reds had started the first half well but Ashton were on top by the interval, a theme which continued throughout the second half.
They were in control of proceedings but couldn’t add to their late first half goal although Darius Osei went close and United then had two attempts in quick succession cleared off the line.
And that all important second goal arrived in the seventy-seventh minute as naïve Reds were outmuscled in their own area. Tom Denton, as is the norm, won the knock-down but Osei’s power did the rest – he used his body strength to create that bit of space before despatching the ball into the net from close range.
Workington hardly threatened in a disappointing second half and shots from distance from Nugent and Kamara certainly didn’t trouble O’Keefe.
White had a shot well saved by Mitchell and Dan Cowan saw his attempt strike the foot of the post as the Robins turned the screw.
And they completed a comprehensive victory with a fine team goal in stoppage time. Denton swept home an inviting cross from the right after a swift three-man passing move had opened up Reds a bit too easily.
Yestin Shakespear was handed his debut in the second half but, like his new colleagues, found the going tough.
Not much time to reflect on this second defeat of the season, though, with Reds back in action on Monday afternoon.
Ashton United: O’Keefe, Cowan, Doherty, Newton, Burke, Baird, Lowe (McCourt, 77), White, Hardy (Couto, 69), Osei (Massey, 79), Bjork (Denton, 68). Substitute – Johnson (not used).
Workington: Mitchell, Stephenson, Galloway, Fell (Howarth, 77), Wilkinson, Williams, Hubbold (Shakespear, 55), Kamara, Rigg, Allen, Nugent. Substitutes – Eccles, McCarron (not used).
Referee: Graeme Kearney, Liverpool
Bookings: White, Lowe, Newton, Denton (Ashton United), Hubbold, Rigg, Allen (Workington)
Attendance: 317