It’s a record

Workington’s stunning 9-1 victory in the Fred Conway Cumberland Cup Final is a record score in the County FA’s showpiece game.

Tuesday’s incredible win, as unexpected as it was spectacular, led to a frantic check through the archives to establish the previous highest victory margin. And the nine goals shared by four Reds’ players, is the highest tally by any team in 134 finals, dating back to the first in 1886.

The original Workington team actually scored eight back in the second final in 1887 whilst Carlisle United repeated the feat more recently in 2013.

It became the third final to produce ten goals after Wellington Villa’s 6-4 victory over Kells at the end of 1935-36 season and Reds’ win, by the same score, against Gretna in 1986.

Obua Mugalula (4) and Ben Hughes (3) also became the first players to score hat-tricks in the final for twenty years with Richard Ridley the last do so in Northbank’s shock 4-0 success over Carlisle United in 2003.

Obz and Ben became the fourth and fifth Workington players to net hat-tricks in the final following Harpwood’s four in 1887, McNichol’s four in 1908 and Drinkwater’s three in 1950.

Reds have now lifted the Cup 27 times (12 by the original club and 15 since re-formation in 1921), which is one more than Carlisle United’s 26 successes, with Penrith third on the all-time winners list on 16.