Recap
Workington got their season back on track with a dominant performance against Whitby, winning their first game in five with a bit to spare.
And it was a special day for two of Reds scorers. David Norris became the oldest scorer in the club’s history with an eleventh minute opener, his first for the club, and skipper Dav Symington netted his 100th goal for Workington in the final minute of normal time.
And there was an audacious goal from Steven Rigg in between as Reds emerged worthy winners on a sun-drenched afternoon at Borough Park.
Manager Mark Fell had to shuffle his pack once again and with Kai Nugent, Ceiran Casson, Jamie Allen, Yestin Shakespear and Aran Fitzpatrick all absentees, the team picked itself.
Yet with four central defenders making up the rearguard, Reds looked better balanced and Whitby’s potent attack was made to look somewhat ordinary.
Reds had to survive an early flurry of Whitby activity with three varied corners dealt with in the early minutes.
And when play switched to the other end Reds won three corners of their own and were unlucky not to score the first goal when Steven Swinglehurst’s header was pushed away Shane Blandford.
But Workington did make a breakthrough with the game only eleven minutes old. Rigg, back to lead the line, controlled the ball on his chest and sent Norris through with the perfect assist. And Reds’ veteran rolled back the years with a sublime finish for his first goal in Workington red.
Josh Galloway dragged a shot wide then David Symington missed with a rare header after Norris cleverly created the opportunity then Symington was inches over with a chance presented to him from a rebound.
Overall, though, it was a good positive half from Reds.
And the good work continued after the break against a lacklustre Town outfit.
Swinglehurst was unlucky not to score from two further corners and a lobbed effort from Rigg landed on the roof of Bland’s net.
Reds eventually doubled their lead when Whitby failed to take advantage of a free-kick in their favour and Rigg was sent clear in acres of space down the right. He advanced towards Bland’s goal and applied a good finish from a tight angle.
A third goal should have followed soon after but Efe Ambrose headed wide from another accurate cross to the far post so the Borough Park faithful will have to wait a bit longer for the trademark celebration!
Alex Mitchell saved well from a couple of isolated Town opportunities but Alex Hutchinson blasted a golden chance over the bar after a Nathan Thomas attempt had been blocked.
With the game nearing the end of normal time, Symington’s milestone moment arrived. Ben McCarron did ever so well to retrieve the ball and set-up his captain on the edge of the area. And he slotted the ball into the bottom corner of the Town End net, to complete his century of goals for his hometown club.
And the perfect afternoon was just ninety seconds away when Town hammered home a consolation goal in stoppage time. Thomas netted with a sweet volley as that clean sheet on home soil remains elusive.
Workington: Mitchell, Little (Beck,89), Wilkinson (Stephenson, 76), Jake Allan (Hubbold, 50), Ambrose, Symington, Kamara, Rigg, Norris (McCarron, 79), Galloway.
Whitby Town: Bland, Darcy, Collins (Smith, 59), Liddle, Sukar, Gell, Hawkins, Wheatley (Thomas, 56), Charles (Doherty, 73), Gibson (Hutchinson, 73), Walker (Haswell, 73).
Referee: Ben Schofield, Lancaster
Booking: Hawkins (Whitby Town)
Attendance: 602