ON THIS DAY: 27 February – Bowman first senior goal & NPL Challenge Cup run
Reds have failed to score more often than not on the 27 February in previous years but we have had our moments, including a memorable League Cup win at Gainsborough…….
2016 Ramsbottom United (away) 1-1 We have never won at Rammy’s Riverside ground but we allowed victory to slip away on this occasion.
A game we should have won by four or five looked like being settled by Kevin McGrath’s own-goal which had given Reds a sixth minute advantage. But we could not add to that narrow lead and the hosts stayed in the game before upsetting the apple cart with a 92nd minute equaliser.
Andrew Smart headed home from close range in stoppage time to salvage a point for the Premier Division’s bottom club.
To compound our frustration, Gari Rowntree and Phil McLuckie were involved in a nasty collision which resulted in the latter sustaining a broken jaw and substituted at half time.
Workington supporters had kindly donated over £100 to Rammy officials to help with the flood appeal which followed extensive damage to the ground on Boxing Day.
2010 Redditch United (home) 1-0 A match we dominated from start to finish was settled by a goal inside five minutes from Ryan Bowman whose side-foot volley secured the points.
The Carlisle born striker spent two spells on loan at Borough Park, making eighteen appearances in total, and the winner against Redditch was his first goal in senior football. Since then, he has scored well over a century of career goals benefitting the likes of Darlington, Hereford United, York City, Torquay United, Gateshead, Motherwell and Exeter City.
The Worcestershire Reds finished third from bottom in Blue Square North that season, our Reds making the play-offs with a 4th place finish.
1999 Kidsgrove Athletic (away) 0-2 A late arrival at the ground (1430) and a poor playing surface had provided excuses for failure but it was a disappointing team performance which ultimately cost us. Two second half goals secured a deserved victory for Athletic over below-par Reds.
But the defeat was the turning point of our North West Counties season and a fourteen match winning streak saw a spectacular march to the title thereafter.
There was a strong police presence, including two on horseback, to deal with ‘potential trouble makers’ but it seemed a massive waste of resources as all 281 spectators behaved themselves!
1993 Gainsborough Trinity (away) 4-2 This was our best ever run in the NPL Challenge Cup and First Division Workington had already knocked out Premier Division Fleetwood and Southport with Trinity becoming victims of another giant killing act.
We had led 2-0 at the Northolme but Gainsborough fought back to equalise. But we dealt with that, and a snow storm, to score two further goals recording a memorable win.
Graham Caton scored a goal in each half with Bob Rice, making his 200th appearance, and Paul Campbell adding their names to the score sheet.
Unfortunately, Reds failed in the two-legged semi final but provided some great memories that season.
1988 Worksop Town (home) 0-0 There had been another managerial change and, following Colin Meldrum’s departure, Ian Hall was installed as his successor. Ian had played for us during our League days then had a brief spell with Southport, later managing Windscale and Cleator Moor Celtic.
He didn’t get a win in his first game but the first goalless draw of the season was an acceptable alternative.
1982 Worksop Town (away) 1-2 We had also played Worksop six years earlier but lost by the odd goal on that occasion. John Smith, who had netted twice against the Tigers at Borough Park, was on target in the return at Central Avenue – his 15th of the season!
1971 Grimsby Town (away) 0-1 Reds were on target for a top ten finish in the Fourth Division despite being one of the lowest scorers in the division. Town got the only goal on this day, though, avenging a similar defeat in Cumbria earlier in the season.
1960 Notts County (home) 0-1 The Magpies shaded the honours in meetings against Reds, losing just one of their five games in Workington. They completed a league double on this occasion and would eventually gain promotion after finishing runners-up to Walsall.
1954 Stockport County (home) 0-0 County had beaten us twice at Edgeley Park – first in the league and then in the FA Cup – so this was an opportunity for revenge. But Shankly’s Reds failed to score and had to settle for a point in front of an excellent 11,000 attendance.
