MATCH REPORT: Workington AFC 1-1 Prescot Cables

Workington extended their unbeaten league record against Cables to eleven matches but that long-awaited first home win of the season still eludes them.

There was no shortage of effort and commitment from either side but both lacked that touch of finesse in the final third.

In that respect, a draw was probably the right outcome but there would be a strong argument suggesting that Reds had the better chances overall in an entertaining ninety minutes.

The hosts would have been delighted with the fine goal they did score but less so with the equaliser conceded seven minutes later.

It was skipper David Symington who broke the deadlock in the fortieth minute, scoring in open play for the first time in a while. It was worth the wait. He anticipated the flick-on from Steven Rigg, outpaced the Cables’ last defender, touched the ball past goalkeeper Calvin Hare then thumped home with his left foot.

He had gone close earlier in the game, Rigg’s weak shot was on target but comfortably gathered by the ‘keeper, Luke Ellis also had two efforts at goal and Sharif Deans saw a goal-bound effort deflected for a corner so, on the balance of play, the lead was deserved.

Cables enjoyed good possession, moved the ball about well but created little. One cross flashed across the goal mouth but there were no amber-shirted players in the box and a tame shot from Tom Scully was dealt with by Alex Mitchell.

Then they struck, deep into stoppage time at the end of the first half. And Reds have to question their poor defending from a routine throw-in. Oliver Southern jinked his way past two half-hearted challenges and delivered the ball into the danger area where one of the division’s top marksmen, Ben Elliott, was lurking. He deflected the ball home to restore parity.

It was the visitors who resumed after the break on the front foot and, without seriously threatening, had plenty of the ball.

Reds gradually got going and were on top for the later stages. Jack Dickinson failed to get his head to a corner then Jordan Little saw a header cleared off the line with Symington sending a free-kick, in between, over the bar.

Rigg and Symington could have won it late in the day but the ball wouldn’t just fall right in a crowded area and Finlay Cross-Adair had an even better chance at the other end but was denied by an excellent Mitchell stop – his first serious save of the afternoon.

Several good individual performances for Reds in a solid team display with Little, Symington and Keelan Leslie particularly impressive and the others all playing a part, including Dan Hopper in a twenty-minute cameo via the bench.

Catching the eye for Cables were Southern, Sully, Tony Donaldson and the spritely forty-three-year-old, Peter Clarke who engaged in fine duel with Rigg throughout the second half.

Workington: Mitchell, Barnes (Hopper, 71), Leslie, Fitzpatrick, Dickinson, Little, Symington, Ellis (McGladdery, 71), Rigg, Deans, Galloway. Substitutes – Swinglehurst, Park and Chapman (not used).

Prescot Cables: Hare, Southern, Matthew Devine, James Devine, Hollett (Clarke, 34), Doyle (Cross-Adair, 85), Goodwin, Scully, Elliott (Murphy, 67), Donaldson (Foley, 71), Steele (Smith, 73).

Referee: Dale Wilson, Leyland

Bookings: Galloway (Workington), Clarke (Prescot Cables)

Attendance: 711