“We are not in a good place at the moment,” is probably the understatement of the season but the message Billy Barr was trying to get across was, that despite the list of absentees now into double figures, the senior players left in the team have hit a poor run of form.

A mixture of good, bad and indifferent sums up the Young Reds latest Lancashire League outing in the first Cumbrian derby of the season.

This first ever meeting with Leicestershire outfit Quorn was the proverbial ‘one game too far’ and a jaded-looking Reds crashed to a painful defeat. But, having gone on an eight-match unbeaten league run and scoring in their last thirteen outings, there is enough credit in the bank to refrain from criticising an honest group of players. We are all well aware of the mitigating circumstances – the unprecedented injury list, the recent heavy schedule and a five-hour journey on t

Manager Billy Barr didn’t know whether to laugh or cry after his team extended their unbeaten league run to eight matches. He was reasonably happy with the overall performance but left to reflect on another serious injury to his threadbare squad. Inspirational skipper, Brad Carroll, was carried off before the half hour mark, becoming the latest long-term absentee. And, whilst he was being transported to hospital for assessment, the team lost its shape and rhythm. Brad Carrol

A war of attrition which became a compelling watch, with Cleethorpes’ watertight defence trying to repel a Workington attack in good form of late.

Despite a gallant effort at Croft Park, the Young Reds made their exit from the FA Youth Cup in what skipper, Ted Thomson, described as a ‘steep learning curve’. Spartans were stronger, used the ball better and emerged worthy winners over the ninety minutes but Workington had their moments and contributed to an enjoyable game. Indeed, had they scored a goal late in the day when they enjoyed their best spell of possession, we would have lauded the performance but, overall, a t

Character and quality in equal measures contributed to another win on the road, with Reds adding to an already impressive record at Emley’s Welfare Ground. They had won there many years ago, and drew on another occasion, but this impressive victory surpassed the previous visits. And with the continued absence of half a dozen regulars, it was a successful return to the White Rose County for Billy Barr who had played on the same ground over forty years ago, in a schools’ final.

A much-changed Reds team fell to a disappointing home defeat against the well-drilled visitors as their spluttering start to the Lancashire League season continued.

For the second successive weekend, Reds were involved in a cup-tie producing six goals although, on this occasion, it was they who progressed to the next round of the competition. Their makeshift team did enough in the second half to secure their passage to the next stage of the FA Trophy, after Step 4 side Spartans had established a half time lead. But, with so many square pegs in round holes, this was a bonus win for Billy Barr’s depleted squad who face a daunting run of le

Workington played their part in what had the makings of a cracking cup-tie in an eventful first half, only to lose their focus in the second and suffer more FA Cup agony against a rampant Bury.

Reds’ long unbeaten run in the Lancashire League came to an abrupt halt under cloudy skies in Preston, as they fell to an impressive Fulwood outfit.

Workington had two tough opponents to overcome – the weather and a talented Spennymoor Town team – and they got the better of both to record a first FA Youth Cup success at the Fibrus Community Stadium. And for two members of the side, Joe Rumney and Matthew Jackson, it was a notable double because they were members of last year’s group which got the better of Spennymoor after a dramatic penalty shoot-out at Borough Park. Skippers and refs - Ted Thomson and Spennymoor’s Harry

The feel-good factor at the Fibrus Community Stadium continued after Reds extended their winning run to six matches. And, after comfortably disposing of the Derbyshire outfit who have gone even longer without a win, manager Billy Barr declared, Winning six games in a row at any level is a notable achievement and the squad deserve the plaudits for the work they have put in. It’s their best winning sequence for four years and extended by another three-goal haul, and nobody can

The young Reds got their Lancashire League campaign underway at Frenchfield but it was a laboured performance as they began the defence of their West Division title. They were second best for long periods of the game and the possession stats were stacked heavily in City’s favour. But, after finding themselves behind early in the second half, they showed great character to get back into the game and, eventually, win by the odd goal in five. All looked well after five minutes w

A welcome break from league action with the FA Cup staged at the Fibrus Community Stadium for the first time.

A fourth successive win for Billy Barr’s outfit, and all against teams they didn’t get the better of last season.

Workington supporters have come to expect nerve shredding afternoons and plenty of finger nail biting, and this entertaining encounter was just another day at ‘the office’ where the blood pressure reading went up and down the scale.

For the second successive home game, Reds recovered from a 2-0 deficit but, unlike the recent Guiseley fixture, they finished with a victory – their first in a competitive outing at the Fibrus Community Stadium.

An eventful afternoon at Broadhurst Park culminated in Reds obtaining that elusive first win of the season, at the fifth attempt, extending their unbeaten record on the ground to four matches in the process. Workington scored all three goals in this early season bottom four clash and that was obviously a major talking point afterwards. But the game will also be remembered for a unique incident with less than twenty minutes on the clock. Reds’ Jack Dickinson was at the centre

Reds remain consistently inconsistent, and produced another Jekyll and Hyde performance – encouragingly good in the first half but abjectly poor in the second. And it prompted a frustrated response from Billy Barr who labelled the side as ‘a forty-five-minute team’ shortly after they had slumped to their heaviest defeat under his tenure. The first-ever meeting between the clubs was refreshingly open with play switching from end-to-end throughout. Yet, whereas Workington lack