ON THIS DAY: 28 February – ‘Home banker’ & victorious (twice) over Crewe
A look through the archives reveals that Reds have experienced a number of disappointments on the 28th February in the past and very few victories…….
2017 Skelmersdale United (home) 0-1 If Workington are ever involved in a ‘home banker’, place your fifty pence bet on an away win. That’s usually the best way to go when Reds host one of the League’s strugglers.
Skelmersdale were adrift at the foot of the table and without an away win to their name when they visited Borough Park for a Premier Division fixture four years ago. They defied the odds to record a deserved victory against ‘an out of sorts’ home side with Steve Irwin scoring the only goal ten minutes before half time.
We could not complain about the outcome and even missed a penalty – Dav Symington’s spot-kick rattling the angle of post and crossbar.
It proved to be their only away win of the season and they were duly relegated. Reds, meanwhile, recovered and reached the play-offs via a 4th place finish!
2015 Frickley Athletic (away) 2-1 Reds had to play the final eighty minutes of this match with only ten men following Dan Wordsworth’s harsh dismissal in the twelfth minute. We were already a goal up at that point thanks to Gareth Arnison’s clever finish after just 76 seconds.
Gavin Skelton then doubled Reds’ advantage when he scored with his less favoured right foot but Frickley reduced the arrears two minutes after the restart, prompting a second half onslaught from the hosts.
But a brave rearguard action saw Reds through to a very satisfying victory on Yorkshire soil.
2009 Southport (home) 0-1 A poor game in Blue Square North was decided by a first half goal which kept Southport in play-off contention. Reds offered plenty of effort but lacked the guile to breakdown the visitors stubborn defence.
Reds had been using two loan players to boost squad numbers but Bury duo Jack Dorney and Ricky Anane returned to Gigg Lane after the game.
2006 Penrith (away) 0-2 Tommy Cassidy made wholesale changes for a Cumberland Cup tie and the makeshift XI fell to a Penrith side packed with former Workington players! The hosts, still at their old Southend Road ground, could have won more emphatically had it not been for Craig Summersgill who kept the score respectable with a string of fine saves.
Penrith went on to lift the cup, overcoming Carlisle City in the final.
1998 Lincoln United (away) 1-1 Reds obtained their first point in what was the fifth meeting between the clubs but should have obtained all three. Jeff Henderson’s well taken opener after five minutes laid the foundation for a dominant period but several good chances were squandered and Lincoln eventually equalised midway through the second half.
Heavy snow disrupted the journey home and it was well after midnight when the coach pulled up at Borough Park.
1995 Netherfield (home) 1-2 The game had been controversially called off on the Saturday but was rearranged and played three days later.
Our South Cumbrian neighbours emerged worthy winners and our only goal – a Martin Henderson twice taken penalty – was sandwiched between Hartley’s first half strike and Jamie Close’s late winner.
Stuart Todhunter was Reds’ best on the night with ex. Red, Graham Byram, in good form for the Kendal outfit.
1987 South Liverpool (away) 0-1 South’s Holly Park was frequently targeted by vandals which was a shame because it was a cracking non-league venue. Nevertheless, we were always given a warm welcome there which compensated for several defeats including this one – Chris Camden heading a first half winner!
1981 Macclesfield Town (away) 2-2 Reds and Town had drawn a number of games that season and it was no surprise when they obtained a point apiece from this encounter at Moss Rose.
Barry Diamond and Vaughn Williams scored the Reds goals, Phil Marsden netted both for the home side.
1976 Tranmere Rovers (home) 0-1 Having been thumped (0-6) at Prenton Park earlier that season, Reds fans were fearing the worst in the return. Thankfully, it was more competitive at Borough Park and settled by a Mark Palios goal in the second half.
Palios was a decent lower-league player, serving his beloved Tranmere and Crewe among others, before embarking on a second career as an accountant. He eventually became Chief Executive of the FA before returning ‘home’ and becoming joint-owner of TRFC!
1970 Crewe Alexandra (home) 1-0 Home advantage proved crucial in our two league meetings with the ‘Railwaymen’. We lost 1-0 at Gresty Road but won by the same score in Cumbria.
Tommy Spratt scored the winner that day.
1964 Halifax Town (home) 2-4 This was our third meeting of the season against Halifax following a comfortable 3-1 success at The Shay and an emphatic victory in the FA Cup three months earlier.
But this was Town’s day and they became only the second team to win at Borough Park during our promotion season. Jimmy Moran scored in all three matches against Town and was joined on the score sheet by Dave Carr.
1959 Gillingham (away) 1-5 Our first trip to Gillingham resulted in the heaviest reverse of the ’58-59 season and started a run of twelve games without a win.
Des Jones netted the consolation goal in Kent.
1953 Crewe Alexandra (home) 4-0 As was the case in the 69-70 encounters against Alex, results followed a similar pattern during the ’52-53 season. We had lost by four clear goals at Crewe but turned the tables on our own patch to win by the same margin.
Chris Simmonds scored two of the goals in the emphatic home win with George Dick and South African, George Miller, credited with the other two.
