MATCH REPORT: Workington AFC U18 2-1 AR Elite U18

Two goals ahead, with less than three minutes on the clock, should have been the foundation for a comfortable victory for the young Reds.  However, it was anything but as the Manchester side staged a brave recovery and probably deserved some reward from a closely fought encounter.

The gale force wind obviously had some bearing on the game, it was in Reds’ favour for the first half then AR forced the hosts into defensive mode for much of the second.

Reds had gone in front almost from kick-off, after thirteen seconds in fact.  Kelvin Amor’s defence-splitting pass put Oscar Pickering through the middle and he confidently guided the ball past the visiting ‘keeper.

They doubled their lead two minutes later and Pickering was on hand to score his second, converting Alfie McDonough’s low cross from the left.

Several opportunities to increase the lead were squandered as AR survived further damage.  The visitors recovery had begun before half time but, despite plenty of possession, they had hardly troubled Joe Rumney.

It was a different story after the break and Rumney became a central figure, making four excellent saves to keep AR at bay.

He was eventually beaten in the seventy-sixth minute when Jack Masciarelli headed home from close range, prompting an anxious last quarter of an hour for Conor Cooke’s side.

Reds were pinned in their own half for long periods and were very fortunate to survive what looked a nailed-on penalty.

The final whistle was greeted with huge relief in the home camp and credit to the visiting team who recovered from a disastrous start to almost salvage a point.

Team: Joe Rumney, Luke Routledge, Charlie White, Harrison Telford, Matthew Jackson, TJ Cueto, Jayden Fulton, Kelvin Amor, Oscar Pickering, Ryan Handford, Alfie McDonough.  Substitutes – Harrison Rogers, Ted Thomson, Liam White (all used).