Recap
Three goals in seven minutes swung the game in Workington’s favour after an insipid first half display left them trailing to a Sam Barratt wonder goal.
Although it was an improved performance from the team after the break, the victory owed much to the individual contributions of Conor Tinnion and Steven Rigg. They were inspirational throughout, but particularly in the second half when Reds finally got their act together.
It has been a worrying pattern in recent matches with Reds getting by on a forty five minute performance. And they did so again – well below par in the first half and dominant in the second against a spirited Glossop outfit with just one win to their credit.
Yet another injury certainly didn’t help matters with Kieran Charlton the latest name added to the list with barely ten minutes on the clock. With seven players unavailable for this game it was some relief that Tinnion and Dan Wordsworth were able to resume, albeit sooner than expected.
A stunning goal lit up a mediocre first half with Barratt’s thunderous shot after twelve minutes opening the scoring. The ball fell to the midfielder a good twenty five yards from goal and the perfectly timed strike looked a goal as soon as it left his foot.
It was the one piece of quality in an otherwise poor half. Glossop worked hard and earned marks for effort and commitment whilst Reds looked laboured with three or four players not at the races.
A few choice words from Chris Willcock during the interval along with a few tactical tweaks saw a more vibrant Reds take to the field after the break.
But they had to survive a scare when North End created their best chance of the game, before eventually equalising. Declan Baldwin broke through, cleverly looped the ball over Jim Atkinson and looked certain to score. But Atkinson recovered superbly, flicked the ball away from Baldwin before completing the save.
Prior to that Atkinson had comfortably gathered Adam Owen’s weakly struck free kick.
Connor Gaul did provide one inviting cross which Rigg just failed to meet and the latter, after a solid first half display as centre forward, was now making things happen in midfield. His deft pass found Tinnion down the inside right channel and the skipper brought the ball under control with his first touch before guiding it into the net past Harry Allen with his second.
A fine goal and his first of the season after seventy minutes was quickly followed by another ninety seconds later. Again Rigg was the provider with Tinnion scoring with a rare header at the back post – only the third headed goal of his career, apparently!
Glossop almost conceded defeat there and then but there was no way back when Tinnion danced into the area only to be tripped for a definite penalty.
Rigg duly converted the spot-kick and, with twenty minutes remaining, the points were heading back to Cumbria.
Willcock is well respected at Surrey Street after four successful years with the club but he enjoyed this hard-fought win against one of his former clubs following on from the success against Ramsbottom earlier in the season.
And regaining top-spot at Mossley’s expense in NPL West, completed the perfect day for the Workington boss.
Glossop North End: Allen, Whalley, Owen, Glover (Jones-Griffiths, 70), Stanyer, Wilshaw, Burey (Crawford, 65), Barratt, Fallon, Baldwin (Murphy, 79), Putnam. Substitutes – Mitchell, Harding (not used).
Workington: Atkinson, Clarke, Charlton (Leslie, 11), Wordsworth, Harrison, Casson, Gooden (Rowe, 67), Lawrence (Bowman, 46), Rigg, Tinnion, Gaul. Substitute – Eccles (not used).
Referee: Jacob Graham, Manchester
Bookings: Putnam (Glossop North End), Leslie (Workington)
Attendance: 277