MATCH REPORT: Leek Town 2-2 Workington AFC

Unforeseen circumstances left Billy Barr short on numbers for this Premier Division clash and, when David Symington pulled up pre-match and Leek opened the scoring in the thirteenth minute, he must have felt luck was against him and his team.

But from adversity, Workington produced another brave performance which got them so close to a victory they just about deserved.

They went into battle with thirteen fit players, plus the injured Symington, then saw Tom Stephenson limp off with an ankle problem.

And to compound matters they fell behind to a goal they would, as a team, have been disappointed to concede.

It was a good goal from a Leek perspective, although Tunde Owolabi clearly handled early in the flowing move, which culminated in Connor Heath netting with a fine header.

Workington’s response was calm and composed and they grew into the game as the first half elapsed.  Luke Ellis and Ceiran Casson were way off target with two of their early opportunities but fortune swung in their favour after thirty-one minutes.

A teasing right-wing cross from Josh Galloway was deflected into the net by Thomas Curl for an own-goal equaliser.  And, in their next sortie forward, Kai Nugent set up an opportunity for Steven Rigg but his well struck shot narrowly cleared Dino Visser’s crossbar.

The game’s champagne moment game in the forty-first minute when Dan Hopper scored with a wonderful left-foot drive when the ball fell conveniently for him on the edge of the area.

Town had a great chance to level matters before the break but Lucas Weir dragged his shot wide when clean through.

Leek dominated for long spells in the second half with their neat passing game but, too often, they overplayed and had no end product to some good approach play.  And with Workington’s back four operating effectively the hosts were denied clear-cut scoring opportunities.

Reds looked dangerous on the counter but rarely looked like getting that all important third goal with a couple of chances squandered.

A relieved Leek restored parity in the eighty-seventh minute after one last push saw them salvage a point via another own-goal.  An off-balance Steven Swinglehurst could do little about the situation as he deflected the ball into the same corner of the net as Curl had earlier after Town’s original shot cannoned back into play off the post.

There was still time for the Cumbrians to create one more chance at the other end but Symington was inches wide with a firm strike that just whistled past Visser’s upright.   

A point may seem scant reward for their efforts but this new found belief in the squad has given Reds a fighting chance.   

Post match brief

Leek Town: Visser, Buckley (Ndene, 63), Curl, Heywood, Edwards, Reeves (Shenton, 66), Hurst, Leigh, Heath (Hodkin, 68), Owolabi, Weir (Porter, 56).  Substitute – Bussell (not used).

Workington: Eccles, Barnes, Dickinson, Casson, Little, Swinglehurst, Stephenson (Hopper, 29), Ellis (McCaragher, 79), Rigg, Nugent, Galloway (Symington, 90).

Referee: Owen Moreton, Dudley

Bookings: Heywood, Reeves, Owolabi (Leek Town), Nugent, Little, Galloway, Barnes (Workington)

Attendance: 438

Photos: Bret Thurlow