MATCH PREVIEW: The point of no return

Billy Barr will be hoping for a positive response after what he considered the worst team performance under his tenure.  Reds slipped to a narrow home defeat last week against the league leaders, Hebburn Town, with the manager angry after the well below par display.

And with just fourteen league games remaining (seven at home, seven away), it is now or never if the late push for survival is going to happen.

There was still a glimmer of hope prior to the Hebburn loss – the team had performed well and were unlucky not to obtain more points from three encouraging draws – but that optimism dipped after league defeat number fourteen.

Reds travel to play an in-form Prescot Cables team on Saturday (3pm) and their good record at the Auto Safety Centre Stadium will count for nothing if they replicate last week’s offering.

They have enjoyed some great afternoons/evenings at the Hope Street venue, going back to Paul Stewart’s debut for the club twenty-seven years ago.  They have emerged victorious there several times and Craig Johnston, Graham Goulding, Matty Henney and Steven Rigg have all scored memorable goals on the ground.  And speaking of ‘goal-of-the-season’ contenders, there probably hasn’t been a better Workington goal than the one Kaedyn Kamara netted in our 2-0 success last season.

But Cables, currently 14^th with 31 points, will be buoyant after a stunning 3-0 win over Warrington Rylands on Tuesday – arguably their best performance and result of the season.

And it wasn’t a flash in the pan as many of the top sides – Stockton Town, Hednesford Town, Warrington Town, FC United of Manchester, Gainsborough Trinity, Guiseley and Rylands – have all failed to win at Hope Street.

Steven Daley’s side average a goal a game but concede a goal per game too and, like us, they have drawn a lot of matches.

Indeed, the first meeting finished all square with Dav Symington and Ben Elliott scoring in the 1-1 draw at Borough Park.

Postcode: L34 6HD

Mileage: 143