Recap

Neuven StadiumNeuven Stadium, Colshaw Close East, Manchester, M26 3PE

Radcliffe FC
Neuven Stadium Colshaw Close East Manchester Greater Manchester M26 3PE
Workington AFC
Borough Park, Workington, Cumbria, CA14 2DT
5 - 3
Final Score
Andy Owens - 2 (27', 90')Matthew Crothers - 2 (72', 90')Jean-Louis Akpa-Akpro - 1 (79')
Scott Allison - 1 (13')Reuben Jerome - 1 (46')Brad Carroll - 1 (66')
Game Statistics
0 Yellow cards 0
0 Red cards 0
0 Corner Kick 0
0 Saves 0
0 Shots on Goal 0
0 Shots 0
0%
Pass Accuracy
0%
Shot Accuracy
OFF
0
F
0
SH
0
0%
Pass Accuracy
0%
Shot Accuracy
0
OFF
0
F
0
SH
Game Timeline
KO
KO
Scott Allison
13'
Andy Owens
27'
Javid Swaby-Neavin
40'
Simon Lenighan
42'
Dav Symington
46'
Reuben Jerome
46'
Jack Shiels
49'
Kole Hall
52'
Curtis Obeng
63'
Brad Carroll
66'
Charlie Bowman
70'
Louis Potts
70'
Sam Smith
71'
Matthew Crothers
72'
Jean-Louis Akpa-Akpro
79'
Sam Smith
81'
Ceiran Casson
82'
Jim Atkinson
87'
Matthew Crothers
90'
Andy Owens
90'
FT

Recap

Two stoppage time goals completed a remarkable comeback by the hosts as they knocked gallant Workington out of the FA Cup.

With Reds hanging on by their fingertips for a penalty shoot-out decider, two wonderful goals from Matty Crothers and Andy Owens got Radcliffe over the line in a memorable First Round Qualifying tie.

But for seventy minutes of this enthralling match, Step 4 Reds looked as though they were going to pull off a cup shock against their Step 3 opponents. Comfortably in control, and deservedly 3-1 ahead, the red thread unravelled spectacularly in the final twenty minutes and credit to Radcliffe for turning the game on its head.

Yes, it was a painful experience and a tough one to take for Danny Grainger and his side and it will be of no consolation whatsoever that Reds played their part in a pulsating game.

There were mitigating circumstances, obviously, and it should be pointed out that Lady Luck switched her allegiance midway through the second half.

Niggling injuries saw the departure of Messrs Symington, Jerome and Allison whilst skipper Tinnion was forced to complete the game in discomfort. The contribution of that quartet cannot be praised enough – offensively and defensively, they were immense.

And Sam Smith’s dismissal was the right decision albeit an unlucky one from a Workington perspective. Dan Wordsworth committed the first foul, but the referee allowed play to continue giving Radcliffe the advantage. But Smith disrupted the attack again and it was he who was punished with a second yellow card.

Smith had collected his first yellow ten minutes earlier, conceding a free kick, and his punishment was compounded when Crothers thundered the ball past Jim Atkinson for what proved to be a game changing goal.

Reds best moments, and there had been plenty of those, didn’t warrant the heart-breaking finale but football is like that – pleasure and hurt, highs and lows and elation and deflation.

A positive start was rewarded after thirteen minutes when Scott Allison reacted quickly to a poor back pass before sublimely chipping the ball over Cameron Belford for his tenth goal in the competition.

Reds moved the ball about well and must have impressed two of Danny Grainger’s former team mates – Nicky Adams and Luke Joyce – who were watching from the terraces.

Radcliffe’s approach was far more direct and, it has to be said, ultimately effective.

They levelled matters when Belford’s booming free-kick was collected by Owens who crashed the ball beyond the returning Atkinson.

There was a loud appeal for a Workington penalty when Allison’s progress was checked inside the area, but the referee deemed Rhain Hellawell’s challenge as legitimate.

The lead was restored just a minute after the restart following great approach play from Dav Symington down the left. The loose ball fell conveniently, and Reuben Jerome converted Reds’ second from close range.

And the loyal travelling support were dreaming of Cup glory when Brad Carroll pick-pocketed a home defender and smashed home Reds third goal after sixty-six minutes.

But the balance of play swung dramatically in favour of Radcliffe thereafter on the back of Crothers’ set piece goal.

An equaliser looked inevitable and duly arrived following a seventy-ninth minute corner. Atkinson was pinned to his goal line by one of Radcliffe’s six foot plus attackers and was only able to partially punch the ball under pressure. The clearance fell to Jean Louis Akpa-Akpro who drove the ball through a sea of legs and into the net.

There was an instant response from Reds and Carroll’s rasping drive saw a fumbled save from Belford.

A failure to score then and Smith’s unfortunate departure handed extra impetus to the Radcliffe recovery, not that they needed any help.

Luca Navarro thought he had netted the winner, but his goal-bound volley was deflected off the line by Ceiran Casson for another corner.

The ninety minutes was completed after Atkinson was booked for time wasting and Reds were hoping to settle the tie via spot-kicks, despite knowing that four potential penalty takers were off the pitch.

But wonder strikes after ninety-two and ninety-three minutes settled the game without the need for the ‘end-of-game’ drama. Crothers and Owens scored their second each to secure their passage to the next round after an amazing eight goal extravaganza.

Radcliffe: Belford, Hellawell (Hall, 51), Hanley (Swaby-Neavin, 40), Crothers, Shiels, Belinga-Bilounga, Royle, Lenighan (Obeng, 63), Owens, Akpa-Akpro, Navarro. Substitutes – Oldham, Donnelly, Metz, Fikula (not used).

Workington: Atkinson J, Clarke, Brockbank, Wordsworth, Smith, Hubbold, Symington (Casson, 82), Carroll, Jerome (Bowman, 68), Allison (Potts, 68), Tinnion. Substitutes – Kelly J, Robinson, Holt, Robertson (not used).

Referee: Declan Brown, Manchester

Bookings: Shiels, Belinga-Bilounga, Lenighan (Radcliffe), Atkinson, Smith (Workington)

Red card: Smith (Workington), second yellow.

Attendance: 309

[gdlr_video url=”https://youtu.be/lgpPEzZ0yn0″ ]

 

Video

Details

Date Time Season Full Time
22/09/2020 19:45 FA Cup 2020/21 90'

Ground

Neuven Stadium

Neuven Stadium, Colshaw Close East, Manchester, M26 3PE

Results

Club1st Half2nd HalfGoals
Radcliffe145
Workington123

Radcliffe

1Cameron Belford Goalkeeper
2Rhain Hellawell 16 Defender
3Raheem Hanley 12 Defender
4Matthew Crothers Midfielder 72', 90'
5Jack Shiels Defender 49'
6Paul-Lillian Belinga-Bilounga Defender
7Jonathan Royle Midfielder
8Simon Lenighan 15 Midfielder 42'
9Andy Owens Forward 27', 90'
10Jean-Louis Akpa-Akpro Forward 79'
11Luca Navarro Midfielder
12Javid Swaby-Neavin 3 Defender
13Joey Oldham Goalkeeper
14Leon Donnelly Midfielder
15Curtis Obeng 8 Midfielder
16Kole Hall 2 Defender
17Khius Metz Forward
18Stephen-Johnson Fikula Defender

Workington

1Jim Atkinson Goalkeeper 87'
2Matty Clarke Defender
3Liam Brockbank Defender
4Dan Wordsworth Defender
5Sam Smith Defender 71'
81'
6Brad Hubbold Midfielder
7Dav Symington 15 Midfielder 46'
8Brad Carroll Midfielder 66'
9Reuben Jerome 16 Forward 46'
10Scott Allison 17 Forward 13'
11Conor Tinnion Midfielder
12Jay Kelly Defender
13Isaac Robinson Goalkeeper
14Jordan Holt Midfielder
15Ceiran Casson 7 Midfielder
16Charlie Bowman 9 Forward
17Louis Potts 10 Forward
18Brandon Robertson Midfielder
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