ON THIS DAY: 22 December – Early kick offs & Conor’s 50th Reds goal
A look through the diaries to see what was happening to Reds on the 22nd December in years gone by…….
There was a break with tradition in 1991when Reds hosted a Sunday morning match at Borough Park.
It wasn’t unusual to play Saturday/Sunday double headers in those days and our opponents, Bridlington Town, arrived at Borough Park having played at Lancaster City the previous day.
Reds were due to play at Congleton Town on the Saturday but were halfway there when they learned the game had been postponed.
Would the Workington boys be fresher for the Sunday encounter, therefore? There was no evidence of that on the pitch as ‘Brid’ finished worthy 3-0 winners. Official attendance for the 1130 kick-off, just 105.
A 1951 match at Mansfield Town was played in the traditional Saturday afternoon slot but winter matches kicked off earlier because of the lack of floodlights. The Third Division (North) fixture at Field Mill got underway at a quarter-past-two.
Although Reds lost by the odd goal in five, it was a great day for a young lad from Whitehaven, Billy Robson. He had the satisfaction of scoring his first Football League goal in the 3-2 defeat with George Dick also finding the target.
Our only Football League success on this day was back in 1962 when a lone Mike Commons goal secured the two points at Rochdale’s expense.
We had good record against Southport in the late seventies/early eighties and a 1979 clash at Borough Park resulted in a 4-0 home win.
John Reach played as a centre forward that day and a two goal haul justified his switch from midfield. Barry Diamond got in on the act and there was a first ever goal from Tony Rosethorn.
Neil Bramhall also scored his first Workington goal in a 3-1 defeat at Burton Albion thirty six years ago, doing so after his introduction as a substitute.
More recently, two years ago in fact, Sean Paterson scored his first Reds goal in a 3-2 home defeat by Scarborough Athletic.
The game attracted unwanted headlines after four players, two from each side, were sent off after the final whistle following an alleged spitting incident. Kyle May and Matty Douglas were the Reds miscreants in the post match incident and the spot of bother overshadowed a Conor Tinnion wonder goal direct from a free-kick (featured) with his 50th goal for the club opening the scoring!
