Recap

Patched-up Reds emerged from a testing ninety minutes in blustery Derbyshire to secure a place in the next round of the FA Trophy.

They had failed to score in their previous two Trophy visits to Surrey Street but were ahead after only five minutes on this occasion – a goal-bound Conor Tinnion shot taking a slight deflection as it found a way past home ‘keeper, Dale Latham.

And that was it in terms of goals with both teams squandering the few reasonable chances which came their way thereafter.

Latham was the busier of the two ‘keepers it has to be said but this was a far from fluent performance from a team riding high in the North West Division against the South East section strugglers.

It was always going to be like that, Glossop have been a solid unit on their own patch and Danny Grainger was forced into serious squad rotation – not through choice.

Scott Allison, Reuben Jerome, Ceiran Casson and Brad Carroll didn’t make the starting eleven whilst Brad Hubbold and Sam Smith played when not 100% right.  Then, to compound matters, Jordan Little hobbled off with a recurrence of his knee problem with less than twenty minutes on the clock and Liam Brockbank sustained a dislocated finger and he too was substituted.

But with several of the senior players absent, it handed an opportunity to three members of the Development Squad who, no doubt, will benefit from the experience.  Carl Lightfoot played the full ninety minutes, justifying his selection with a busy performance, whilst James Bell and Matty Foster took their place on an inexperienced bench.

All things considered, it was a case of obtaining the desired result regardless of the performance and there are many different qualities needed to win a football match.

Yet Reds survived an early scare, otherwise it might have been different.

Little had been dispossessed by Alfons Fosu-Mensah who had a free run on goal.  But the much travelled Dutch striker, and elder brother of the Manchester United starlet Tim, couldn’t finish and Jim Atkinson saved easily.

It proved a costly miss because Reds took the lead in the very next attack.  Tinnion gathered the ball just outside the Glossop area and the slight deflection didn’t alter the trajectory of the ball which ended up where it was intended.

Dav Symington came close to adding a second but his far post volley, via Brad Hubbold’s cross, was bravely blocked from point blank range.

North End had a great chance to level matters but Moses Yoak’s attempted chip could not get beyond Atkinson’s outstretched arm and the stopper was credited with another important save.

The Cumbrians began the second half brightly but Symington again failed to convert at the far post after good work from Matty Clarke on the right.

Hubbold and Symington then tested Latham with well struck efforts from outside the box with the goalkeeper gathering the ball for each at the second attempt.

But the insurance and comfort of a second goal evaded Reds and it became a difficult watch for their loyal band of supporters over the final twenty minutes or so.

Glossop had their best spell of the game yet, despite a period of domination, they carved out very few clear-cut chances.  There was one goal mouth scramble when Yoak came close but he was thwarted by a combination of Atkinson and Dan Wordsworth who managed to get the ball to safety.

A delighted Grainger gave his usual honest assessment of the game afterwards saying, “No matter what, we had to get a win and progress to the next round of the cup and the main objective was achieved.  Yes, we could have made life easier for ourselves but we got over the line and I’m delighted.”

Glossop North End: Latham, Haslam, Ahmadi, Matthews, Hartshorne, Quansah, Moloney, Yoak (Billington, 85), Fosu-Mensah, Burey (Fitton, 67), Brown (Freedman, 76).  Substitutes – Robertson, Mills (not used).

Workington: Atkinson, Clarke, Brockbank (Kelly J, 70), Wordsworth, Little (Smith, 20), Hubbold, Symington, Holt, Bowman (Potts, 62), Lightfoot, Tinnion.  Substitutes – Carroll, Foster, Bell, Robertson (not used).

Referee: Mark Reeves, Manchester

Bookings: Burey (Glossop North End), Grainger, Atkinson and Potts (Workington).

Attendance: 313