ON THIS DAY: 25 December – Derby day
Workington’s last of nineteen matches played on the 25th December was back in 1957 when a 12,000 plus crowd turned out at Brunton Park to watch the Carlisle v. Reds derby…….
That particular Third Division (North) match finished in a 2-2 draw with Alf Ackerman scoring both goals for United whilst Ted Purdon and Norman Mitchell responded for Reds, so becoming our last Christmas Day scorers.
Carlisle United were opponents eight times for the Christmas Day derby but seven of those encounters were actually against the Blues’ Reserves.
Indeed, the biggest win for Workington was in 1936 when Dougie Sewell bagged a personal tally of four goals as Reds romped to a 7-1 success.
Eight years earlier in 1928, another hat-trick hero emerged with Jack Thom scoring three in a 6-3 victory over Durham City.
But the best Christmas present ever saw Jackie Oakes help himself to five goals in Reds’ 6-2 triumph against Eppleton Colliery Welfare in 1950. Oakes had netted twice three years earlier during our 5-3 reverse at Brunton Park.
Attendances were always healthy at Lonsdale Park and Borough Park with a crowd of 9,563 passing through the turnstiles at the latter for the 1954 visit of Southport. Workington’s record on the 25th reads: P. 19 W. 6 D. 4 L. 9 F. 44 A. 37
