Workington Reds 1-1 Warrington Town

Workington Reds produced their best performance of the season but still couldn’t end their winless run. The fourth draw in four successive league games has ended a sequence of two defeats, and they probably just about deserved to topple Warrington on this occasion.

Ten days ago, Stafford had visited Borough Park as table-toppers but, by comparison, Warrington were a much better side.

Well organised, resilient and sharp on the counter, Warrington seem to have the ingredients required to last the course.

They certainly posed a bigger problem than Stafford who had drawn 0-0 and have since slipped from their lofty perch.

But Reds continue to be hindered by injuries with Sam Smith, Rob Wilson and Nathan Waterston all side-lined while Anthony Wright had work commitments.

Yet, the home side started at a brisk pace, which they continued to exert for much of the first half.

Some excellent build-up football tested Warrington’s defensive qualities but there was nothing seriously to test goalkeeper Anthony McMillan.

Long-range efforts from Conor Tinnion and Scott Alison were comfortably taken by the veteran keeper.

Aaron Taylor was tested midway through the half when Caleb Richards was put through.

He tried to go round the home keeper but Taylor got down well, spread himself and made the block at the expense of a corner.

That was somewhat against the run of play when Warrington took the lead on 32 minutes.

The ball was played in from the right by full-back Liam Goulding and experienced striker Tony Gray controlled smartly before turning to fire low beyond Taylor into the bottom corner.

It could have been a crucial score against a side short on confidence after an FA Cup defeat by a side from a lower league team.

But they regained their poise to finish the half in up-beat fashion and, after the break, resumed in much the same manner.

Ten minutes into the second half, they drew level. James Earl celebrated his return from injury with a spectacular equaliser.

From just outside the area, he curled a lovely shot beyond McMillan into the top corner.

Rejuvenated Reds forced the pace and there were a couple of scrambles in the Warrigton area, one of which saw McMillan scrambling along his line to palm away a header from Josh Calvert.

There were appeals for a penalty when Scott Allison tangled with full-back Rory McKeown and went down in the box but referee Nat Cox saw nothing wrong.

Dan Wordsworth hurled himself at a Tinnion cross and was just inches away from connecting while Earl was just wide with a diving header.

There was one serious alarm for Reds when a Taylor clearance struck a Warrington player and rebounded over his head.

In a frantic race between Gray and Taylor, the Reds skipper was first there to dive on the loose ball and smother a yard from the net.

Then, deep into the three minutes of stoppage time, it looked as though Tinnion would win it with one of his spectacular finishes.

Sam Joel did well to lay a pass into his path on the left but his first-time shot whistled the wrong side of the post.