Recap
Workington’s position in the NPL Premier Division remains delicately poised after a valuable point was obtained at a wet and wild Giant Axe.
If they could string three league wins together, which they haven’t all season, they would be on the north side of halfway. Yet, if the win ratio doesn’t improve, they’ll remain a lower half of the table outfit.
They didn’t do enough to claim all three points in this ‘derby’ encounter but certainly didn’t deserve to lose and a point apiece was a fair outcome in the end.
The conditions played a part in this game of two halves with City enjoying territorial dominance in the first half and Reds camped in the same area for much of the second.
City won six first half corners but, in general, Reds defended them well.
Alex Mitchell did make one crucial save to thwart Lewis Coulton but Aaron Bennett and Lewis Mansell wasted two other openings.
Reds best move of the half saw Josh Galloway and Jamie Allen link well down the right but the latter’s delivery across the face of goal just eluded Steven Rigg.
The opening goal arrived ten minutes before the interval and Christian Sloan was City’s scorer. Reds had blocked two attempts in quick succession but couldn’t prevent a firm low strike from finding the bottom left-hand corner of Mitchell’s net.
Reds won their first corner soon after the restart but Aiden Dowling dealt with the cross unchallenged. But, from their next flag kick, Jordan Little saw his goal-bound header tipped over the bar by the City ‘keeper.
When the hosts got forward in their next attack, Charlie Bailey squandered a good opportunity by sending the ball into the car park.
Reds restored parity after seventy-two minutes with a well worked goal. The ball was worked from left to right with Galloway making ground before delivering a decent cross into the area and top scorer Rigg finished with aplomb, in front of the large Workington support.
Mitchell was called upon again and made a fine stop to deny Mansell.
But Workington seemed to have the momentum and were encouraged to push on for the winner by the hordes wearing Santa hats.
And when Kai Nugent delivered the best cross of the match from the left it should have been the match-winning moment. It fell to Dav Symington, making a welcome return after missing the last ten games, but the substitute couldn’t keep his side-foot volley under the bar, much to Lancaster’s relief.
Yet, having nearly won it, Reds could have lost the game as the Dolly Blues mounted one last attack but former Red, Nic Evangelinos, couldn’t capitalise.
A competitive display with plenty of character restored the positive vibe after recent setbacks and that was further enhanced by the return of Ceiran Casson, Jordan Little, Dav Symington and Tom Wilkinson – all back in contention after long-term injuries.
Lancaster City: Dowling, Bailey C, Coulton, Moonan, Beeden, Thompson, Shaw (Mellen, 89), Sloan, Mansell, Bennett (Lawson, 86), Cusani (Evangelinos, 67). Substitutes – Abbott, Caine (not used).
Workington: Mitchell, Little (Nugent, 54), Clarke (Symington, 65), Casson, Swinglehurst (Wilkinson, 90), Ambrose, Galloway, Grewal (Jake Allan, 65), Rigg, Jamie Allen, Stephenson (Wane, 87).
Referee: Kieran Chell
Bookings: Shaw (Lancaster City), Casson (Workington)
Attendance: 686