Last updated 11:23, Monday, 17 March 2008

THE relief was audible! Michael Reed’s 90th minute equaliser gave Workington the draw to maintain the ten point advantage over the Blue Square North strugglers.

A point was no more than Reds deserved over the game, although there were two or three anxious moments when they chased the deficit and looked vulnerable to the break.

Adam Collin had to pull-off a superb save to restrict Hinckley to their one-goal advantage which had been established on the stroke of half-time.

Manager Darren Edmondson said: “I think that showed the spirit in the side. They kept going right up to the end and although it was late I thought it was thoroughly deserved.”

Defeat against Reds’ bogey team – they haven’t lost against Workington in eight outings – might have sown the seeds of doubt over the possibility of relegation.

Reds have always found Hinckley a difficult team to play against. The fact they are fighting a battle against relegation intensified their efforts and they provided a physical challenge, the likes of which the home side had not encountered for a while.

For while Workington played outstandingly well in mid-week to beat Hyde United, the combative style of Saturday’s visitors meant they had to grind out something from the game, not do it with some style.

That they got there in the 90th minute with a goal from substitute Reed was a testament to their resilience and the spirit which so pleased the manager.

It looked a last throw of the dice when skipper Graham Anthony curled in a left-wing corner and Lee Andrews did well to get on the end of it and head down to where Reed turned the ball into the net from close-range.

In fact there were five added minutes but there were no real alarms for either side after that and in the end Workington would be happier with the point than their rivals.

“It didn’t look that way in the dressing room because the lads were down.

“They thought it was a game they should have won but I was so pleased they kept going sand got something out of it,” said Edmondson.

The chances had come in a flurry of action just before half-time after most of the earlier exchanges had been scrappy and unproductive.

On 39 minutes Anthony Wright swung over a high cross from the left-hand side which saw Matthew Berkeley leap prodigiously to head over keeper Michael Jones.

Berkeley responded quickly to get past Jones but inexplicably, with a gaping net in front of him, he ballooned the ball over the bar.

Two minutes later Workington went close when a right-wing cross, this time from Andrews, saw Anthony Wright climbing well to power in a header for the top corner which was acrobatically turned over by Jones.

Then on 43 minutes it was Jonny Wright who could have given Reds the lead after good work down the left between Anthony Wright, Gari Rowntree and Anthony.

From four yards he slid the ball against keeper Jones on the line and the rebound was hacked clear.

Hinckley had somehow survived so it was adding insult to injury when they scored from virtually the last attack of the half.

Owen Story had too much room out on the right and he fashioned a hanging cross which saw Leon Jackson get there ahead of Collin to head over the keeper into the net.

Workington’s best chance to draw level during the second-half came on 67 minutes when a long ball from Dan Kirkup was chased by Berkeley. He held off the attentions of defender Tom Birch and as Jones advanced curled a shot the wrong side of the post.

As Workington pushed for the equaliser Hinckley were increasingly dangerous on the break. On a couple of occasions the speedy Story got away down the right and dangerous balls into the box were cleverly intercepted by Alan Gray and then Andrews.

But the defence was split by a tricky run down the middle by Callum Lloyd and he produced a fine shot which was heading for the top corner until Collin launched his tall frame to claw it past the post.

A number of Workington fans were congregating behind the town end goal ready for a rush to the exit after what seemed to be the final corner of the game.

They were rewarded with the vital equalising goal.

STAR MAN: DAVE HEWSON, worked his socks off in the mid-field role vacant through the absence of Tony Hopper.

KEY MOMENT – No doubt, the 90th minute equaliser from Michael Reed for a deserved point for the Reds.

REDS: Collin, Andrews, Rowntree, Gray, Kirkup, Hewson, Anthony, McLuckie (Johnston 69), Berkeley, J. Wright (Reed 69), A. Wright (Hardman 84). Subs (not used) Gullen, Taylor.

Referee: Paul Brown

Crowd: 374.