MATCH REPORT: Cleethorpes Town 2-1 Workington AFC
- Dec 28, 2025
- 3 min read
It was a case of too little, too late as Reds came to life late in the day in their first ever meeting against Cleethorpes Town, a young club on the up.
They eventually found some rhythm in the final half hour, and finished the game strongly, but the damage had been done and they were already heading for defeat number thirteen in this most challenging of seasons.
Workington have been competitive in the majority of their games yet have kept just two clean sheets in twenty-two matches. And their lack of goals at the other end of the pitch is a major concern.
There are other mitigating circumstances to be taken into account and the inability to field a settled team is proving a significant obstacle. They have now used thirty-three different players in their league programme and surely the starting point of any consistent run is familiarity within the group.
The returning Brad Carroll and Ne Jai Turner were the two latest recruits to pull on the shirt and whilst the former slotted into the side as if he hadn’t been away, Turner will take a little longer to find his feet.
And with the likes of Steven Rigg, Ceiran Casson, Dav Symington, Steven Swinglehurst, Charlie Barnes and, last week’s debutant, Isaac Whitehall, not travelling it is easy to understand manager Billy Barr’s dilemma.
He is trying to get his message across to a different group of players every week.
An early injury to Jake Allan compounded the issue and he was forced to retire early after a collision with Town ‘keeper, Ollie Battersby.
That was one piece of ill-fortune they could have done without and another laced with bad-luck was the opening goal they conceded just before the half-hour mark.
Cleethorpes’ ‘skipper, Brad Abbott was allowed to carry the ball deep into Workington territory and his weak shot would have been routinely gathered by Danny Eccles. But, inadvertently, Greg McCaragher, the unfortunate Allan’s replacement, deflected the ball past the wrong-footed Eccles to give the hosts the lead.
And up to half time and the early stages of the second half, Town got on top, doubled their advantage and looked well in control. Billy Whitehouse netted their second when he got in front of his marker and converted at the far post after fifty-nine minutes.
They had squandered several other chances and were thwarted by three excellent saves by Eccles and the job appeared to be done.
But then Workington woke from their slumbers and, for the first time, suggested they might make an impact on what had been a one-sided contest.
They reduced the arrears following a well-worked set piece routine in the sixty-fourth minute. Kai Nugent delivered a free-kick towards the far post, Jack Dickinson headed back into the danger area and Keelan Leslie, introduced as a substitute a few minutes earlier, read the situation and netted his first goal of the season with a close-range header.
He might have got another soon after but saw a shot blocked then the follow-up saved by Battersby.
Reds were now passing, running off the ball and delivering crosses, having looked so laboured in their build-up for the first hour.
But Cleethorpes managed the game without too much stress leaving Workington to contemplate what might have been had they started the game in the manner they finished it.
So, Workington ended the year as they had begun it - in defeat - with victories in between as rare as a white Christmas!
Cleethorpes Town: Battersby, Gallimore, Wilde (Boateng, 77), Conway, O’Grady, Foster, Andreucci (Braithwaite, 57), Abbott (Ainley, 69), Walker J, Whitehouse (Bateson, 69), Walker N (Blunden, 86).
Workington: Eccles, Allan (McCaragher, 15), Dickinson, Ellis, Little, Magloire, Stephenson (Hopper, 69), Carroll, Palmer, Galloway (Nugent, 60), Tucker (Leslie, 60). Substitute – Mitchell (not used).
Referee: Michael Robinson, Hull
Bookings: Conway, Abbott, Ainley (Cleethorpes Town), Little, Ellis (Workington)
Attendance: 589
