Recap
An all too familiar outcome against Guiseley with Reds falling short against a team looking a certainty to reach the play-offs. But, in a game of very few clear-cut scoring opportunities, the hosts battled away gamely and remained in contention until Guiseley netted their second goal in the eighty-seventh minute.
Not much had gone right during the game for the talented Will Longbottom but when he scored just before the end, the Yorkshire contingent knew it was job done.
They had been in front since the thirteenth minute and were in control of the game, yet much of their good work was in defence where Jameel Ible & Co excelled.
But in between their two goals, Workington fought bravely with limited resources. There was never any hint of them turning the game in their favour, although a rejected penalty appeal didn’t help, but, to a man, they gave a committed performance.
And the defeat, which completed a league double for the visitors, was compounded when results from elsewhere saw Reds slip three places in a congested Premier Division table.
They are running on empty at the moment and halting this winless run is proving difficult.
When Steven Rigg headed a rare chance wide in the opening few seconds, the home support probably didn’t think it would be their best opening of the game. But they didn’t come that close too often and, as an attacking force, they created more chances at Hebburn although the overall performance was better on this occasion.
Dav Symington’s two free kicks from distance fell into the ‘chances’ category, a Kai Nugent corner bounced on the top of Joe Cracknell’s crossbar and a Jamie Allen close range effort was blocked by a yellow shirted defender.
They also felt that Ceiran Casson was fouled inside the area but appeals were ignored by the referee.
And other than two teasing crosses from Tom Stephenson which flashed across the face of Guiseley’s goal in the first half, there was little to stir the excitement levels.
With Guiseley ahead from the thirteenth minute it was always going to be an equaliser, at best, for Reds but, as we all know, goals change games.
An Ollie Brown diving header, via Liam Ridehalgh’s cross from the left, looked for long enough too be the winning goal. Longbottom had missed a glorious chance soon after and the same player had the ball in the net in the second half only to be flagged for straying offside.
But their second goal secured a seventh win at Borough Park and came about from Lucas Wane’s first involvement in the game. The Reds’ teenager was dispossessed out wide and the cross found Longbottom unmarked on the edge of the area and his trusted left foot did the rest.
Workington: Mitchell, Little (Wilkinson, 65), Clarke, Casson (Wane 85), Swinglehurst, Ambrose, Symington (McDonough, 87), Nugent, Rigg, Allen, Stephenson. Substitutes – Christian, Eccles (not used).
Guiseley: Cracknell, Ible, Ridehalgh, Ekpolo, Mbeka, Lawlor, Brown, Moke, Lufudo (Ackroyd, 65), Emmett (Whitham, 78), Longbottom. Substitutes – Bentley, King (not used).
Referee: Abid Hussain
Bookings: Swinglehurst, Rigg (Workington), Brown (Guiseley)
Attendance: 678