Recap
After scoring two cracking goals and shading both games, Workington have experienced their usual FA Cup heartache and are out of the competition before the end of August.
But they gave it everything in this pulsating replay and the manager and the Reds supporters in the 800 strong crowd left College Road bitterly disappointed with the outcome yet optimistic for the season ahead.
Marine and Workington are being tipped in some quarters as promotion favourites and, on the evidence of this showing, both should figure prominently in the NPL West Division.
Chris Willcock’s immediate concern, though, will be fielding a competitive XI for the third instalment of this mini-series on Saturday. Reds travelled to Crosby without four key players and three more sustained injuries over the 120 gruelling minutes.
But what they may have lacked in quality, was compensated by the effort and commitment illustrated over the two games.
Marine drew first blood with just seven minutes on the clock and it was Niall Cummins who forced the ball home from close range after Jim Atkinson was unable to gather the ball cleanly after a low cross from the right.
Reds responded well to the setback and Scott Allison was thwarted by Bayleigh Passant who dived to his right to push away a shot destined for the bottom corner.
Iyrwah Gooden and Brad Hubbold then missed the target with two subsequent opportunities whilst, at the other end, Neil Kengni’s deflected shot struck Atkinson’s crossbar.
James Joyce then headed wide for Marine when it looked easier to score before Brad Carroll saw two goal-bound headers cleared off the line in separate attacks. And two efforts from distance sailed over the bar as Allison and Conor Tinnion searched for an equaliser.
It was a more open contest than Saturday and Marine almost doubled their lead soon after the restart. Kengni broke through and struck the ball sweetly but was denied by Atkinson’s fine save.
And after equalising with a wonderful team goal on Saturday, Reds got back into this game with a brilliant solo effort. Nic Evangelinos collected the ball a good thirty yards from goal, advanced to the edge of the area before despatching a wonderful curling shot beyond the helpless Passant.
The chances dried up as two watertight defences dominated but the introduction of former Reds’ midfielder, David Lynch, gave the hosts fresh impetus. But his first contribution to the game was a crunching challenge on Gooden which went unpunished.
Lynch did collect a booking soon after but he broke Reds hearts with what proved to be a well taken winner towards the end of the first period of extra time.
James Joyce got past Matty Clarke and his low cross found Lynch whose side-foot volley found the far corner of the net.
Luck had deserted Reds again just before the winner with Tinnion and Charlie Bowman seeing efforts cleared off the line.
And Bowman had another opportunity in the 118th minute but he was thwarted by a superbly timed David Raven tackle.
Workington had all eleven players in the Marine half in the closing minutes and that was after the ubiquitous Atkinson took it upon himself to join the Reds attack. He played two or three decent balls into the Marine but was unable to repeat his heroics from the Morpeth game.
Marine stood firm and defended efficiently to secure their place in the next round and will now fancy their chances of completing a league and cup double when league points are at stake.
Reds will have to lick their wounds, not feel despondent and prepare to go again on Saturday but that won’t be easy – physically or mentally!
Marine: Passant, Roberts (Devine, 110), Joyce, Doyle, Miley, Raven, Watkinson, Barrigan, Cummins (Reilly, 99), Hughes (Shaw, 113), Kengni (Lynch, 66). Substitutes – Mendes, Wignall, Murphy (not used).
Workington: Atkinson, Clarke, Charlton, Carroll, Smith, Hubbold, Gooden, Bowman, Allison (Lightfoot C, 91), Tinnion, Evangelinos (Howarth, 107). Substitutes – Jerome, Skinner, Eccles (not used).
Referee: Matthew McQuillan, Lancashire
Bookings: Watkinson, Doyle, Roberts, Lynch (Marine), Carroll (Workington)
Attendance: 801
