Recap
It’s horses for courses in this league and, after passing their way to victory at Bradford, Reds had to display battling qualities to see off City, and the weather, at an Autumnal Borough Park.
And, as was the case at the weekend, Danny Grainger’s team won a little more comfortably than the score line suggests with Lancaster’s stoppage time consolation goal coming too late to change the outcome.
Grainger likes his team to play possession, passing football but you cannot always dictate how you want things to go. The visitors probably saw more of the ball throughout but Workington looked the more potent in front of goal and certainly created the better chances.
And with a solid dependable, back four plus the non-stop work rate from the midfield trio of Niall Brookwell, Conor Tinnion and Ceiran Casson, City found it difficult to finish off what was, at times, good approach work.
They had named four former Workington players in their starting XI but Kyle Brownhill and Niall Cowperthwaite failed to complete the ninety minutes whilst Matty Clarke and Brad Carroll kept going to the end without influencing the outcome.
The first chance of the game fell to Charlie Bailey but an improvised overhead kick was smothered by Jim Atkinson and, later in the half, the ‘keeper was forced into action again thwarting Dominic Lawson.
In between, Reds had converted their first opportunity but squandered several others.
Steven Rigg netted from close range after eleven minutes when he guided the ball past City’s Brazilian goalkeeper, Andre Mendes, after David Symington had provided the assist. But Symington, twice, Keelan Leslie and Tinnion all failed to capitalise on promising openings.
Wearing a new set of shirts for the second half, Workington were soon on the offensive but a sodden Mendes saved well on two occasions to deny Symington.
But Symington would not be denied indefinitely and it was he who doubled the home side’s lead on the hour. The ball was worked down the left and eventually into the danger area where a centrally placed Symington blasted home from twelve yards after a City defender failed to clear.
And that was game effectively over with City’s style becoming a little too predictable. Sam Bailey provided some great service from the right flank but cross after cross was wasted with the City attack blunted by Messrs Wordsworth & Co.
Bailey was able to claim an assist when his stoppage time corner found veteran Simon Grand at the far post and he rifled home from an acute angle.
Atkinson was promptly booked for booting the ball into the night sky, clearly frustrated by another late goal which prevented him keeping a clean sheet.
Overall, though, a deserved victory, with three now recorded on the bounce!
Workington: Atkinson, Wallbank, Roxburgh (Leslie, 8), Wordsworth, Smith, Casson, Symington (Hubbold, 80), Brookwell, Rigg, Allison (Moore K, 69), Tinnion. Substitutes – McCaragher, Lister (not used).
Lancaster City: Mendes, Bailey S, Clarke, Barnes (Allington, 65), Grand, Brownhill (Gallagher-Allison, 20), Burrell, Cowperthwaite (Holland-Wilkinson, 64), Lawson, Carroll, Bailey C. Substitutes – Teague, Turner (not used).
Referee: Nat Cox, Blackpool
Booking: Atkinson (Workington)
Attendance: 581