Recap

Danny Grainger pulled a rabbit out of the hat when a late tactical switch led to a ninetieth minute Joe Bunney equaliser, his first goal for the club.

Trailing to a penalty converted thirteen minutes from time, Reds pushed Bunney up front and it was Reds’ on-loan defender who latched on to Brad Hubbold’s free kick to steer a well taken goal past the previously unbeatable Shane Bland.

It was the very least that Workington deserved and extended an impressive league record at the Turnbull Ground to just one defeat in eight visits. 

Once Workington survived Whitby’s bright start, they got a foothold in the game and produced another commendable performance on a difficult playing surface.

And although Town could bemoan their luck when two stunning shots hit the crossbar, Workington created slightly more in terms of chances with Bland certainly the busier goalkeeper on a wet and windy afternoon.

A concussion injury sustained last week by Jim Atkinson led to Danny Eccles’ first league outing of the season and he performed well as did the solid rearguard in front of him.  Probably for the first time this season, Workington were able to field the same back four in consecutive matches.  

An early opportunity fell to the hosts but Junior Mondal side-footed wide at the near post after meeting a good cross from the left.

Reds had two great chances to open the scoring but both were thwarted by veteran Bland.  The first fell to Scott Allison via a cross from Kitt Nelson but, by the time he had swivelled and shot, the keeper got across to block what looked a certain goal.  Conor Tinnion’s improvised back-heal produced an almost identical save from one of Town’s longest serving players soon after.

And a looping header from Niall Brookwell, via a Tinnion free kick, brushed the crossbar but Bland seemed in control of the situation.

At the other end, Mundal’s shot skimmed the bar whilst Eccles pushed two other efforts over for unrewarded corners.

 A duel developed between Bland and David Symington with the latter unable to get the better of the ‘keeper.  The Reds top scorer had five attempts at goal in the second half, three of which were comfortably saved by Bland with two others narrowly missing the target.

Whitby took the lead with their first serious attempt on goal in a second half largely dominated by the Cumbrians.  Finlay Wallbank was adjudged to have tripped Coleby Shepherd during a goal mouth scramble and the referee was well positioned to award the penalty.  Jacob Gratton converted to edge the Seasiders in front after seventy-seven minutes.

They were unlucky not to double their lead ten minutes later when a thumping strike from Aaron Haswell rattled the crossbar with Eccles beaten.

We had just gone into stoppage time when Reds grabbed their late equaliser.  Brad Hubbold’s free kick into the danger area was eventually met by Bunney, a forward in a previous life, and he planted the ball beyond Bland into the far corner to rescue a point.

Reds play their fifth successive away game at Marine on Tuesday. 

Whitby Town: Bland, Fergus, Shepherd, Hawkins (Gell, 67), Rowe, Beeden, Doherty, Haswell, Simpson (Greaves, 55), Gratton (Smith, 81), Mondal.  Substitutes – Griffiths, Fewster (not used).

Workington: Eccles, Wallbank, Bunney, Gbadebo, Brookwell, Hubbold, Symington, Nelson, Rigg, Allison (Francis, 70), Tinnion (Casson, 85).  Substitutes – Moore L, Devitt, McCaragher (not used).

Referee: Sam Ross, Durham

Bookings: Rowe, Greaves (Whitby Town), Gbadebo, Bunney, Grainger (Workington)

Attendance: 493