MATCH REPORT: Workington AFC 1-2 Gainsborough Trinity

Two cases of naïve defending mid-way through the first half and a moment of madness from skipper Dav Symington, soon after half time, proved costly for Reds as they again failed to win on home soil.

They haven’t won at home in eight outings and are now eight points from safety at the foot of the NPL Premier Division.

Yet this was a much better performance, overall, with plenty of character and spirit evident in the ranks. That will only take you so far, of course, and there is an obvious lack of quality in the final third.

They conceded two soft goals within six first half minutes and if that didn’t present an almost impossible task, for a team bereft of confidence, being reduced to ten men early in the second half certainly did.

Borne of frustration, Symington clattered into a rash tackle and was promptly shown a red card in the forty-eighth minute. The Trinity player retaliated but wasn’t punished so Workington were left to battle on without their ‘out of sorts’ talisman.

But credit to those in red who, to a man, gave it their best shot in an all too familiar situation.

By then, Reds were already two goals adrift after a solid start was undone by some schoolboy defending.

Trinity’s first, after twenty-three minutes, owed much to a good advantage played by the referee with Lewis Butroyd converting from close range, reacting to a low cross from the right with at least three defenders losing their bearings.

They were carved open again and a slick passing move, five minutes later, culminated in a neat one, two between Sisa Tuntulwana and Frank Mulhern with the latter guiding the ball past Alex Mitchell.

Other than those two moments which produced the goals, Workington had defended reasonably well and moved the ball effectively going forward.

But they hardly threatened where it matters most and a weak Greg McCaragher shot was all that David Robson had to deal with.

Following the skipper’s second dismissal of his Workington career, the visitors probably thought it was mission accomplished but brave Reds at least made them work for the points and deserved their late consolation goal.

Trinity did go close to grabbing a third when substitute, Josh Ayres, rattled the upright with their best effort of the second half in an isolated counter-attack.

But it was the hosts who scored the third goal of the evening with Josh Galloway involved in the build-up. Steven Rigg made for an interesting last few minutes when he headed home his fourth goal of the season following good work on the left.

Steven Rigg

It was too little, too late and Gainsborough duly managed the last few minutes to secure their ninth victory at Borough Park.

Workington: Mitchell, Little (Swinglehurst, 46), McCaragher, Casson (McGladdery, 79), Dickinson, Atkinson, Symington, Ellis (Leslie, 46), Rigg, Nugent (Hopper, 63), Galloway. Substitute – Stephenson (replaced Leslie, 73).

Gainsborough Trinity: Robson, Simpson, Jackson, Johnson, Lancaster, Beeden, Butroid, McLoughlin (Hornshaw, 72), Tuntulwana (Ayres, 55), Clarke (Kruyszenski, 70), Mulhearn (Preston, 55). Substitute – Helliwell (not used).

Referee: Ryan Aldred, Bolton

Bookings: Little, Swinglehurst (Workington), Robson, Lancaster (Gainsborough Trinity)

Red card: Symington (Workington)

Attendance: 582