Recap

Danny Grainger hijacked this second-string friendly to give much needed game time to several members of his first team squad with Penrith sportingly agreeing to the arrangement.

It worked out well for both clubs with Reds able to give valuable minutes to players who haven’t featured frequently enough of late and Penrith testing themselves against stronger opposition.

The outcome was an entertaining ninety minutes for the healthy crowd with some cracking goals netted on the night.

As well as mixture of first team and Development Squad players, Reds fielded a trialist who played the full game.

Steven Rigg skippered the side against one of his former clubs and came through the first half unscathed.

Also included in the line-up were three recent signings – Tom Mahone, Jordan Palmer and James Hooper, all making positive contributions during their sixty minute stint.

Hooper actually opened the scoring with a well taken goal after six minutes and could have had a couple more had he shown a bit more composure when through on goal.

Palmer doubled the lead after thirty-seven minutes as Reds dominated much of the first half.

They squandered several decent opportunities with Penrith ‘keeper, Kyle Strand, thwarting Reuben Jerome, Bobby Carroll and Rigg.

Alfie Brunskill came closest for the Blues in the first half but was denied by Scott Paden-Gale’s competent save.

Two Jerome goals doubled Reds’ lead in the first ten minutes of the second half.  The first a delightful lob over the ‘keeper, via  Carroll’s assist, and the second a powerful finish after the player cleverly got behind two defenders in the box.

Both sides made wholesale changes in the second half but the entertainment level was maintained.

Penrith reduced the arrears after sixty-five minutes with Ben Rebanks finishing well following a free kick.           

But six minutes later, Reds restored their four goal advantage when a flowing move down the right culminated with a far post finish from Jack Brown.

The hosts scored twice in ninety seconds in a second half purple patch.  Nathan Kerr bagged their second with a good finish in the seventy second minute but Max Owens’ goal soon after was a ‘Route 1’ cracker.  He volleyed home in one swift movement after receiving the ball from Lewis Newton’s long up-field clearance.

It was end-to-end stuff and Matty Foster saw a fine shot rattle the Penrith crossbar whilst Craig Hay (post) and Ryan Smith (bar) went just as close at the other end.

Foster concluded the scoring, seconds before the final whistle, with a fine solo effort.  He got beyond the last two defenders before sending the ball into the opposite corner of the net, scoring the goal his second half performance deserved.

Penrith: Strand, Fleming, Arnold, Robley, Henderson, Hunter, Digby, Prentice, Whalley, Smith, Brunskill.  Substitutes – Newton, Wilson, Rebanks, Kerr, Owens, Ellis, May (all used).

Workington: Paden-Gale (Lister, 46), Lowrie (Wade, 60), Whitehead, Mahone (Birkett, 60), Trialist, Carroll (Askins, 60), Trialist (Brown, 60), Hooper (Bell, 60), Jerome (Foster, 60), Rigg (Webster, 46), Palmer (Monkhouse, 60).

Referee: Simon Voigt