MATCH REPORT: Workington AFC U18 2-1 Spennymoor Town U18
Workington had two tough opponents to overcome – the weather and a talented Spennymoor Town team – and they got the better of both to record a first FA Youth Cup success at the Fibrus Community Stadium.
And for two members of the side, Joe Rumney and Matthew Jackson, it was a notable double because they were members of last year’s group which got the better of Spennymoor after a dramatic penalty shoot-out at Borough Park.
This evenly matched contest had drama too and saw the Young Reds recover from a half time deficit to emerge worthy winners thanks to a last-gasp winner. It looked as though the tie was heading towards another stalemate but, just as manager Craig Johnston was contemplating his penalty takers, Joe Dixon grabbed a close range, stoppage time winner.
In a first half of few clear-cut chances, Oscar Pickering’s header, which rattled the Spennymoor crossbar after good wing play by Jack Bailey, was the nearest we came to a goal from open play.
Ben Whitworth had gone close with a couple of attempts from distance and Lennon Knox just missed the target for the visitors, following a corner.
Then on the stroke of half time, the black & whites opened the scoring from the penalty spot. Cole Raine got away from Jack Cannon inside the area but a last-ditch tackle was judged to be a foul by the assistant referee.
Caine needed treatment, but then took the spot kick and confidently blasted the ball past Rumney.
As the weather deteriorated after the interval, Reds’ performance got better and better and TJ Cueto and Ted Thomson were at the hub of some creative attacking play.
Oscar Allen broke through for Town but he shot too early and Rumney saved comfortably. Other than that, though, the Workington ‘keeper was rarely troubled.
After sixty-seven minutes Reds restored parity with a good composed finish from Jacon Tyer who cut in from the left and passed the ball into the net, leaving Henry Smith helpless.
Spennymoor’s Carson Zavoda and Kristos Cofinos were lucky not to concede own-goals with wayward clearances and Pickering and Thomson both had goal-bound shots blocked by brave defending.
And just when it looked as though penalties would be needed to determine the winners, up popped Dixon at the far post to convert Codie Elliot’s teasing corner.
Workington: Rumney, Gaskell, Glendinning, Cueto, Jackson, Cannon, Thomson, Whitworth, Pickering, Henney, Bailey. Substitutes – Story, Coulthard, Dixon, Hetherington, Wilson, Tyer.
Spennymoor Town: Smith, Hickman, Zavoda, Pos, Connor, Knox, Cofinos, Allen, Raine, Knight, Mundell. Substitutes – Nelson, Hunter Robsom.
Referee: Ryan Woods
Attendance: 108
