MATCH REPORT: Workingfton AFC 3-0 Marske United
- 41 minutes ago
- 3 min read
A welcome break from league action with the FA Cup staged at the Fibrus Community Stadium for the first time.
And the ‘first time’ theme continued throughout this stress-free afternoon with four teenagers making their debut in the historic competition and three others adding an FA Cup goal, for Workington, to their CV.
It was also Billy Barr’s first cup-tie as Reds boss and the straightforward victory included the team’s first clean sheet at their new temporary home.
With all due respect to Northern League outfit, Marske United, this was an ideal tie for Reds after the manic start to the league campaign. Yes, it had the potential for a ‘banana skin’ upset but it was evidently clear from the early stages that this contest would go the way of the NPL giant, rather than the underdog.
It was a good professional performance against gallant, lower-ranked opposition, with Workington easing through to Monday’s draw for the Second Qualifying Round, with the minimum amount of fuss.
Marske’s pre-match brief, I suspect, would have been to stay in the game for as long as possible and they did that until the forty-second minute.
But once Charlie Barnes broke the deadlock with a crisp finish from close range, the outcome looked inevitable.
However, it might not have been as comfortable had Danny Boyle directed his lob into the net, soon after, instead of narrowly missing the target. Had that gone in the story would have been so different.
Barnes’ goal, his second in eight days, had been created after some clever play between Kai Nugent and Dan Hopper with the eventual low cross into the danger zone despatched firmly into the net by Barnes, who is enjoying a new lease of life.
Luke Hunter had twice been thwarted by visiting ‘keeper, Mike Algie, with the latter also keeping out a Matty Douglas header. When the excellent Algie was beaten, Brad Carroll’s shot rebounded off the crossbar.
Reds’ domination continued after the break with Douglas blasting one attempt over the bar and having a header gathered by Algie with similar outcomes from Tom Stephenson’s early second half efforts.
Kenzie Harker did land one effort on target at the other end but it was a routine catch for Alex Mitchell who had a trouble-free afternoon.
The second goal broke Marske’s resistance with Hunter finally getting the better of the agile Algie. The ball came in from the left and Hunter scored his sixth of the season, cleverly lifting the ball over the United ‘keeper.
And the best goal of the afternoon, after seventy-eight minutes, secured the host’s passage into the next round.
Barnes started the move which was continued with a quick one-two between Stephenson and Ceiran Casson. Stephenson was in the clear and his angled drive left Algie helpless.
Job done and, for the fourth game in a row, Reds had scored three goals and it’s over three years since they produced a similar. productive sequence.
Workington: Mitchell, Casson, Grayson (Thomson, 70), Rigby, Douglas, Barnes, Stephenson, Carroll (Allan, 63), Hunter (Palmer, 68), Nugent, Hopper (McDonough, 63). Substitutes – Andrews, Eccles (not used).
Marske United: Algie, Spenceley, Joe Thompson (Cameron Thomson, 30), Rowe, Eglinton, Bennett (Simpson, 77), Harker (Rodgers, 74), Boyle, Goodman (Bean, 67), Waller, Joynes. Substitutes – Watt, Cotterill (not used).
Referee: Scott Henry, Carlisle
Bookings: Hunter (Workington), Goodman, Joynes (Marske United)
Attendance: 752
