ON THIS DAY: 5 January – Draws abound
Reds have become draw specialists on the 5th January in previous years and also experienced a bizarre managerial resignation quite recently…….
In normal circumstances, a hard earned point at Stafford Rangers would be considered a commendable achievement but it was events immediately after Reds’ 1-1 draw there two years ago that dominated matters.
Gavin Skelton had tendered his resignation just minutes after the final whistle in the most dramatic of U turns. In charge for just six days and two matches, Gavin’s second stint in the Borough Park manager’s office ended before it had started to the shock of the chairman, directors, his assistant, the players and Workington supporters.
Without dwelling on the situation too much, time has healed the wounds and Gavin’s return to Carlisle United has been justified from a personal perspective.
The match itself saw Reds fall behind to a spectacular goal but a scrappy Dan Wordsworth equaliser was the very least we deserved following a battling performance.
Even the loss of Scott Allison, due to his original shoulder injury, was hardly mentioned post-match on what was an intriguing return journey up the M6 that night.
The draw at Stafford continued an unusual sequence of matches finishing all square, including two National North fixtures played on this day.
We had to thank an injury time Kyle May equaliser for a first ever home point against Boston United back in 2013. In a scrappy game, Boston had opened the scoring just after half time and looked set to maintain their 100% winning league record at Borough Park. Thankfully, Kyle’s header ended Boston’s winning sequence in Cumbria.
Reds were involved in a thrilling 3-3 draw at AFC Telford United back in 2008. A first ever meeting and visit to their superb stadium produced a six-goal cracker with Reds taking the lead three times only to be pegged back on each occasion.
Matthew Berkeley, Jonny Wright and Craig Johnston shared the Reds goals with a Jagielka (Phil’s brother) getting one of the Telford goals. The crowd for that Blue Square North fixture, an impressive 1,797.
Our three NPL meetings during the eighties and nineties also ended in parity.
We were a goal down inside twenty seconds when Farsley Celtic visited west Cumbria in 1991. But Andy Walker equalised seven minutes later and, in a game spoiled by a gale force wind, the 1-1 outcome was probably a fair result.
There were two first half penalties here in 1985 culminating in a point apiece for Reds and Witton Albion. John Smith converted from the spot for our goal.
And a home encounter versus Tamworth in 1980 failed to produce a goal for either side – much ado about nothing really.
Workington’s three Football League encounters on this day were also profitable in terms of points acquired.
Goals from Ian McDonald, Jimmy Goodfellow and Alan Tyrer helped us obtain our first win of 1974 at the expense of Newport County. It finished 3-2 in our favour to the delight of the small band of supporters on the terraces.
The attendance – a mere 753 – caused plenty of concern in the boardroom post match. It was the fifth time that season we had attracted a sub 1,000 gate.
Workington’s most emphatic win on the 5th was back in 1957 when we inflicted a 6-2 defeat on Darlington.
Billy Robson’s second hat-trick of the campaign paved the way to an impressive victory with Jimmy Dailey (2) and Norman Mitchell also finding the target.
We earned our first point of 1952 at Accrington Stanley where our Scottish goalkeeper, Archie McIndewar kept a clean sheet.
