Workington Reds are still searching for the opening goal in their top-of-the-table clash against Marine after the first half ended goalless at Borough Park.

The 533 supporters at Borough Park have been treated to an entertaining game, with both sides taking an aggressive approach, but neither goalkeeper has had much to do in the opening 45 minutes.

The first chance of the game fell to the visitors with Niall Cummins finding space in the box and curling a shot which cracked the left post with Reds’ goalkeeper Jim Atkinson only able to watch.

Workington had their first sniff of goal in the sixth minute when Liam Brockbank set Dav Symington sprinting away down the left and the winger’s cross found Scott Allison, who was back in the starting line-up after missing last weekend with a bug.

The forward tried to hit the ball first time but miscued his attempt and Marine got away with one.

The away side were in the ascendancy in the early stages as the league leaders struggled to keep hold of the ball but Reds got a foothold after 10 minutes and Conor Tinnion took advantage to draw a free-kick on the edge of the box which Marine were just able to keep away from the leaping Allison.

Brockbank and Symington were seeing plenty of the ball down the left but it was Tinnion who had the next notable attempt on goal when space opened up in the middle and he drove a shot high over the Marine goal after 23 minutes.

Ninety seconds later the skipper was in the thick of it again, sending a delightful curling cross onto the head of Dan Wordsworth but the defender’s header glanced a few feet wide of the post.

Reds were beginning to turn the screw now and Symington’s low cross pulled back to the penalty spot in the 28th minute was begging to be put away but a grateful Marine defender got there first.

Sam Smith was forced into action when good work down the left from the visitors’ Brett Mbalanda saw him get the better of Dan Wordsworth and play the ball into the box for Kenneth Strickland but Smith was there to block.

A couple of corners for the away side gave the the opportunity to apply some pressure to their hosts but both times Jim Atkinson commanded his six-yard box to punch clear before collecting a speculative cross.

Seconds later he was charging out of his area to head clear a long ball forward from Marine as Workington looked to keep their opponents quiet.

Smith went down grimacing after 38 minutes following an innocuous-looking challenge but he stayed on after treatment.

The last significant action of the half saw Joshua Solomon Davies scamper down the right wing for Marine and drill a low ball across the six-yard box but Wordsworth was there to slice behind for a corner.

James Barrigan was booked for the visitors as he put a stop to a Workington break from the set piece but the two minutes of added time passed largely without incident to end an entertaining first half with no goals.