MATCH REPORT: Workington Reds Ladies 1-1 Penrith Ladies

It finished all square in the A66 derby with third place Reds held by a Penrith side currently fourth in the Division One North table.

Reds were the better side in the first half and a one goal lead was scant reward for their unstinting efforts in an impressive performance at the Lakes College.

Caitlin Davis was in inspirational form and the hub of a very good first half display from Reds.  They had opened the scoring on the fifteen minute mark thanks to cracking free-kick from skipper, Linzi Donaldson.  A good thirty five yards from goal, the captain struck the ball superbly and, a split second later, it was in the Penrith net with Hope Lawson beaten.

Lawson did get finger tips to the ball but not enough to prevent the goal.

Reds moved the ball about well but couldn’t fashion that all important second goal.

Penrith moved up a gear in the second half and it was they who started to dominate.

Carly Stevenson went close to netting an equaliser but she was denied by a fine Laura Miller save who acrobatically tipped the ball over the bar at the expense of a corner.

Reds survived three more corners but Penrith kept the pressure on and deservedly levelled on the hour.  And if Reds’ goal was a cracker, the Penrith equaliser was even more spectacular – a well timed half volley from Stacey Harkness-Grant flew past Miller. 

The hosts, who lost top scorer Hayley Bracken through injury early in the first half, pushed on for a late winner and almost found it when a second Donaldson free kick rattled the crossbar before dropping out of play.

It was a good advertisement for the women’s game in Cumbria with a draw the right outcome.

Reds are at home again next week when they play the only unbeaten team in the league, Blackburn Community Sports Women who are currently second in the table and five points better off than Paul Mackenzie’s side.