MATCH REPORT: Workington AFC 3-2 Cleethorpes Town
The good, the bad and the ugly. Not quite the remake of the famous sixties western, although the title certainly fits the bill for this delayed FA Trophy First Round tie.
As Billy Barr said afterwards, “It had a bit of everything.”
And good to see a Workington team fighting fire with fire as they matched Cleethorpes challenge for challenge in what became a war of attrition in the second half.
By then, Workington had scored three goals, sandwiched between two netted by the Lincolnshire outfit, which was just as well because they lost their potency after the break. Town, though, lost their discipline and, eventually, the match and could not complain about the outcome.
It was ‘sheer guts and determination’ which got Reds through in the end, with the reward a Second Round tie at Ashton United next month.
With heroes all over the pitch, it would be difficult to single out an individual. Suffice to say, all fifteen players contributed to a first-ever victory against a ‘Clee’ team who have only lost two league games this term.
But a fifteen-minute hat-trick from Luke Hunter will be long remembered – first for its historical mark of becoming the maiden such feat at the Fibrus Community Stadium and, secondly, the impact it had on an encounter not for the faint-hearted!
Yet it was Town who opened the scoring following a twentieth minute corner when Reds ‘fluffed their lines’ defensively. The ball got beyond the near post and was touched home from Callum Foster, who was virtually on the line.
Reds restored parity within four minutes and Hunter was ‘Jonny-on-the spot’ to poach a proper striker’s goal. Jake Allan’s original shot was only partially saved by Ollie Battersby and Reds’ only ever-present smashed home the rebound.
By the twenty-sixth minute the hosts were in front, with our top scorer showing great anticipation to get to the ball first, as Battersby and a colleague dithered momentarily.
And the home crowd, all seated because the terraces were out of bounds, went wild when Hunter scored the goal of the night seven minutes before the break.
Brennan Dickenson gathered the ball on the right, danced in field and then threaded a sublime assist through Town’s static defence to find Hunter who had timed his run to perfection. There was a big cheer when he rounded Battersby and an even louder one when he rolled the ball into the vacant net.
Apart from Hunter’s first claim for a match-ball in Reds’ colours, we had also witnessed a well-struck Isaac Whitehall free kick saved by Battersby and two fine stops from Alfie Scales making his home debut.
Josh Walker did get the ball into the net just before half time but an earlier foul on Charlie Barnes ruled out the goal.
But seconds after the restart, and after Reds had kicked off, Town were gifted a goal. Sloppy play allowed Walker to canter through unchallenged and the original error was compounded when Scales misskicked the ball allowing the Cleethorpes’ top scorer to net one of his easier goals.
Scales redeemed himself, becoming an important part of Reds’ overrun defence with blocks and catches supplementing the work done by his new defensive colleagues.
Although Reds were not functioning as an attacking force in the second half, Cleethorpes couldn’t convert their possession into clear-cut chances either.
Frustration crept in and they were reduced to ten men in the seventy-ninth minute. Tom Stephenson had barged into Lewis Hey, which probably merited a booking, but the Cleethorpes substitute kicked the Workington played in retaliation and was promptly sent off.
And it got worse for Town five minutes later when Nathan Newall was also sent for an early shower when he reacted to being tackled by Simon Rigby, with a head-butt movement his downfall.
Referee Sam Ross had already brandished his yellow card numerous times with Cleethorpes’ manager, Craig Rouse, and one of his coaching staff, two of the recipients.
There certainly wasn’t a dull moment in the second half.
And as the clock slowly moved into six minutes of added time, the visiting ‘keeper, Battersby, joined the mayhem in the Reds’ area but, thankfully, without any reward.
Some good football was played by both sides in the first half, although not a great spectacle in the second, but what a display of character from Reds when under pressure, albeit diluted, throughout the second half.
The return league encounter, in February, should be interesting. Make a note of the date!
Workington: Scales, Barnes, Fairclough, Rigby, Whitehall, Martin (Hopper, 65), Stephenson, Allan (Leslie, 46), Dickenson (Rigg, 46), Ellis, Hunter (Jacobs, 56). Substitute – Mitchell (not used).
Cleethorpes Town: Battersby, Gallimore, Newall, Bramwell, Grist, Foster, Braithwaite, Ravenhill, Walker, Hughes, Fewster. Substitutes – Conway, Ainley, Ackroyd, Wilson, Hey.
Referee: Sam Ross, Gateshead
Bookings: Ellis, Fairclough, Rigg (Workington), Ravenhill, Hughes, Bramwell, Wilson, plus two members of the coaching staff (Cleethorpes Town).
Red cards: Hey, Newall (Cleethorpes Town)
Attendance: 404
