ON THIS DAY: 8 January – Kenilworth Road in the FA Cup
A look through the archives to see what was happening to Reds on the 8th January in previous years…….
As we cast an envious eye towards the Marine Travel Arena and Sunday’s clash between Marine and Tottenham, we can reflect on another Workington appearance in the 3rd Round sixty five years ago.
A fine win at Leyton Orient in the 2nd Round was ‘rewarded’ with a really tough tie in the 3rd – away to Second Division Luton Town – and it was on the 8th January, 1955 that we made our way to Kenilworth Road.
Luton were enjoying a fine league season which would culminate in promotion to the First Division and they justified their tag of clear favourites by inflicting a 5-0 defeat upon Reds. Indeed, it was the biggest winning margin on 3rd Round day.
I suppose there was some consolation financially with the club entitled to a share of the gate, 18,833.
Workington’s only two Football League outings on this day fell consecutively in 1971 and 1972.
We lost the former at Colchester United, a 2-1 reverse at their old Layer Road ground with Tony Geidmintis the Reds’ scorer that day.
Then, twelve months later, we played out a goalless draw at home to Grimsby Town when goalkeeper Mike Rogan kept another clean sheet.
We only conceded seven goals at Borough Park throughout the ’71-72 campaign and ever-present Mike kept twenty three shut-outs, including sixteen at Fortress Borough Park!
There was a Northern Premier League win to celebrate in 1983 with a 2-1 success at Worksop Town, the sixth of a nine match winning sequence.
Worksop were a team we played at several venues with this match staged at their old Central Avenue stadium, a facility that doubled up as a rather pleasant cricket ground.
Gary Benfold and Martin Harris were our match winners.
It was the year 2000 before we celebrated another NPL three-pointer doing so over the border at Raydale Park, Gretna.
Matt Henney, who would later achieve everlasting fame for scoring Gretna’s first goal in the Scottish League, opened the scoring for Reds after just two minutes. And further goals from Wayne Johnson and Barry Irving had things wrapped up before half time.
Former Red, Mark Dobie scored Gretna’s consolation goal in the second half in what was the first meeting between the clubs on a Saturday.
Travelling to Gretna on a Saturday and then to Worcester on a Monday evening sums up the weird and wonderful world of semi-pro football.
The Monday night sortie down the M6 and M5 took place in 2007 with a commendable Reds performance earning a valuable point from a 2-2 draw.
Mr. Henney, now back at Borough Park, was again on the score sheet at St. George’s Lane but his goal was overshadowed by Tony Nicholson’s opener – a stunning left foot volley.
