10-man Reds hit back for share of the spoils
Last updated 11:48, Monday, 18 August 2008
JUST two points from the opening two home games in Blue Square North might be a tad disappointing.
Blue Square North: Reds 2, Stafford Rangers 2
But both matches against Harrogate and Stafford have suggested that Workington can make a fist of it this season – provided there are no serious depletions of the wafer-thin squad.
Injuries and suspensions are always going to be a concern because of the size of the squad manager Darren Edmondson has to operate with.
There have already been problems through illness (Tony Hopper) and injury (Gari Rowntree) and now there’s a suspension looming for key defender Kyle May who was shown a red card by referee Scott Oldham.
With Workington trailing 2-1 it looking decidedly ominous on 61 minutes when May made the long walk to the dressing room.
From the sidelines it looked a strange decision. Adam Collin had been scrambling for the ball in his own six yard box when challenged by Nick Wellecomme after the home keeper had blocked his initial shot.
In the melee that followed Wellecomme fouled Collin, for which the referee awarded a free kick, but then apparently May punched him in the back.
“I had no choice even though I had given Workington the free kick. I saw what happened, there was a definite punch and I’m afraid he had to go,” said the Blackpool official.
May will be able to play on Saturday at Blyth and the following Monday at home to Burscough but will then miss out for the minimum of a match, possibly more.
Fortunately Stafford’s man advantage only lasted two minutes before it was all square. Carl Palmer was late with a tackle on Lee Andrews and Mr Oldham produced a second yellow card which saw the midfielder follow May down the tunnel.
Workington responded best to the handicap and on 72 minutes scored a deserved equaliser. A good bout of patient inter-passing ended with Graham Anthony chipping a ball into the area where Tony Hopper flung himself forward to get on the end of it and his header squirmed through the hands of diving keeper Danny Alcock to find the bottom corner.
That completed an encouraging fight-back by the Reds as they had started the game sloppily and conceded two goals in the first 10 minutes.
Collin had made a splendid diving save to turn away a fierce shot from Bobby Wilson but the subsequent corner proved to be their undoing.
The ball wasn’t cleared and David McNiven found the net with a rising shot from ten yards.
More poor, hesitant work in defence after Anthony had been dispossessed saw the ball threaded through to McNiven and he calmly slotted the ball past a helpless Collin to double the Stafford lead.
It probably helped Reds’ subsequent revival that they scored soon afterwards. This time it was Stafford who couldn’t clear a corner, taken by Anthony from the right, and May thumped a shot through a crowded six yard box.
Workington actually dominated the rest of the half without creating any clear-cut chances and within minutes of the restart Hopper went close with a rising drive which Alcock did well to tip over the bar.
After the two sendings-off and the Reds equaliser it was Workington who looked the side most likely to go on and snatch a win.
But both teams went close to earning the three points in the four minutes of stoppage time.
First Anthony had a curling, dipping free kick turned over by Alcock but from a Stafford counter in the last minute of the game they went desperately close to snatching the win.
Andre Francis tried a speculative shot from out on the left and although it beat Collin the ball smacked the bar and came down where fortunately Phil McLuckie was able to tidy up and clear.
MATCH FACTS
Star man: LEE ANDREWS – Excellent playing in a stand-in left-back role and in more familiar territory at the centre of defence after Kyle May was sent-off.
Reds: Collin, McLuckie, Andrews, May, Kirkup, Johnston, Anthony, Hopper (Vipond 87), J. Wright (Hardman 82), Robinson (Arnison 65), A. Wright. Subs (not used) Rowntree, Gullen.
Referee: Scott Oldham, Blackpool
Attendance: 452
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