It might have taken 47 minutes to get a goal at Borough Park but when they began to come Workington Reds proved unstoppable against bottom of the league Sutton Coldfield Town.

Two goals from Sam Joel and one apiece for Jordan Holt and sub Nathan Waterston sealed the 4-0 victory for Reds.

This was a true game of two halves with Workington looking lacklustre in the early stages with the visitors the more lively side.

Sutton belied their league position in the early exchanges and rattled the Workington defence on occasion.

But it held strong and the game was still deadlocked at half time with neither side getting the breakthrough.

But whatever was said to Reds at half time worked wonders as they came out a completely different side.

And, after getting a quick reward with a goal inside the first two minutes of the second half, Reds upped a gear and never looked like losing.

Jordan Holt put in a superb performance, full of energy and kept Sutton on their toes, while there were great finishes from Joel and Waterston.

Gari Rowntree began his first game of the season, taking the captain's armband but Josh Calvert was missing through injury and James Earl suspended.

Sutton probably had the better of the early exchanges as they started brightly, causing problems at the back for Reds.

Brian Smikle upped the ante early on as he looked to time his cross to meet the run of Jak Barnes closing into the box but Sam Smith got in with a timely tackle to defuse the danger.

The Sutton captain Aaron Birch then hooked a ball into the path of Smikle but his shot went into the waiting arms of Reds keeper Aaran Taylor.

Reds tried to get the ball forward but were met with resolute defence from the visitors.

They got an opportunity when they were awarded a free kick around 35-yards out from the Sutton goalmouth.

David Symington powered it in but it quickly ricocheted back off a Sutton defender however it only came back to the boot of the former Carlisle player to give him as second chance.

But this time it was one of his own players that blocked the shot in a crowded goalmouth.

Both sides were looking to break the deadlock and it was the visitors who were looking more likely to score.

A free kick from Kris Taylor was lofted in to the box and Taylor had to leap up and punch it clear as the referee also blew up for an infringement.

Reds were being restricted to opportunities on the break and Conor Tinnion tried his luck with a shot off his left foot but it was saved comfortably by Nicholas Draper in the Sutton goal.

The best chance of the half fell to Sutton in the 29th minute when a good run and shot from Tyler Lyttle forced a good save from Taylor.

Symington tried to up the pace for Reds as he took on a defender down the touchline and got in a long cross, looking for Tinnion but he couldn't control the ball.

Tinnion was the next to show his pace down the right flank, he turned the defender and got off a shot that the keeper managed to parry.

Allison was quickly on to the loose ball and tried to play in Sam Joel but he just couldn't find the space.

Reds got another opportunity in the dying minutes of the half as Symington put in a free kick from close to the by-line.

It came out to Jordan Holt and the youngster let loose with a shot from 20-yards out that forced a good punched clearance from Draper and the half ended goalless.

Into the second half and it was just the start Workington wanted. Anthony Wright found Joel on the edge of the area and he unleashed a shot that flew into the back of the net.

That inspired a good spell of possession for Reds as they played some good football as the rain got heavier at Borough Park from the remnants of Storm Brian.

Jordan Holt made a great block and then broke away down the left hand side. He came in and threaded a pass through to Allison in the centre who, in turn, got the ball out to Joel.

The youngster decided to have a shot but it was always high and wide of the target.

There was a great chance for the home side when Tinnion lofted a high pass into the box looking for Allison, who skipped past the keeper but just couldn't get a final touch.

Allison was back in the thick of it when he won a free kick around 30-yards out after being pulled down on another mazy run but Tinnion's effort went high over the crossbar.

Sutton rung the changes with Reece Hutchinson entering play, replacing Reece Webb and the sub had an immediate impact.

Jordan Holt looked to lob the keeper at one end to no avail and then Sutton broke down the left and Hutchinson put in a superb cross right across the goalmouth but nobody could get onto the end of it.

The excitement quickly switched to the opposite end where Holt had a golden opportunity to make it two for the home side.

He danced past the keeper and then powered the ball towards to the goalmouth only to be thwarted by the last line of defence in Lewis Probert.

The ball came back to Tinnion who tried a shot of his own and this time it was Draper who had to make the save to keep his side in the game.

Hutchinson tested the Reds defence once again as he got into space and his curling shot went just over the bar.

But the second goal finally came for Reds in the 78th minute as Joel got a lovely return ball from Symington and he slid the ball past the keeper and into the net.

And what seemed like seconds later they sealed the win with a superb strike from Holt. A corner was cleared but only as far as Holt on the edge of the area.

He struck it powerfully through the area and into the back of the goal, leaving the keeper no chance.

And with two minutes of time remaining sub Nathan Waterston put the icing on the cake.

He broke from midfield and combined with Joel, who returned the pass and Waterston finished well hammering the ball into the top corner to bag Reds' fourth of the afternoon.

Reds: Taylor, Douglas, Rowntree, Wordsworth, Smith, Wright, Symington, Holt, Allison, Joel, Tinnion. Subs (all used): Waterston, Wilson, McLuckie, Harker, Fowler.

Goals: Joel 47, 78, Holt 81, Waterston 88.

Sutton: Draper, Lyttle, Probert, Webb, Beresford, Haran, Smikle, Taylor, Barnes, Birch, Knight. Subs (all used): Morris, Hutchinson, Lovett.

Referee: Helen Conley.

Half time: 0-0.

Crowd: 359.