MATCH REPORT: Squires Gate U23 0-2 Workington AFC U23
Workington avenged a home defeat by the Blackpool side last month with a well-deserved victory in the return on a wild, blustery night on the Fylde coast.
Only two goals separated the sides at the finish but the victory margin would have been far greater had it not been for ‘Gate captain and goalkeeper, Josh Taylor, who made a succession of saves, particularly during a first half Reds dominated.
Time and again he came to the home-side’s rescue keeping out well struck efforts from Joe Douglas (twice), Keenan Mackay (twice), Harrison Rogers and Oscar Pickering.
Reds also won seven corners in a strong first half showing whilst the hosts responded with decent efforts from Eric Kidson and Denis Capilnean, which Joe Rumney gathered confidently.
The Cumbrians did manage to get the ball beyond Taylor’s reach just before the interval but Douglas’ stunning free kick, from twenty-five yards, struck the angle of crossbar and post.
So goalless at the break, and the game followed a similar pattern in the second half with the young Reds unable to convert some great openings into goals.
Codie Elliot’s name found a way into first team manager Billy Barr’s notebook, with the youngest player in the team creating a favourable impression. He was also frustrated by Taylor who thwarted him with two outstanding saves but the ‘keeper was eventually left helpless with Elliot’s third attempt at goal, after seventy-one minutes.
The sixteen-year-old collected the ball on the edge of the box and a hooked left foot strike left Taylor helpless.
And having scored his first goal in the Lancashire League, Elliot then supplied the cross for skipper Owen Johnston to side foot home the second, three minutes before the end.
It was a competent performance from the Cumbrians, and a special mention for Rumney and Liam Gaskell who had both played for their college team a few hours earlier.
Squires Gate: Taylor, Capilnean, Wood, Ward, McClennan, Belkaid, Clark, Ali Akhtar, Trudgeon, Kabutey, Kidson. Substitutes – Bridges, Seedall, Owen, Worrall, Guy.
Workington: Rumney, Gaskell, Glendinning, Johnston, Cannon, Douglas, Sharpe, Whitworth, Pickering, Mackay, Rogers. Substitutes – Henney, Coulthard, Tyer, Elliot (all used).
Referee: Jack Hargreaves, Blackpool
