Match Report: Workington AFC 0-1 Redcar Athletic

A draw against Bury on Saturday, a win against Workington on Tuesday, we have started well!

A trek across the country to Cumbria saw the Steelmen head to Workington for our second league match of the season.

Our first match of the campaign saw us survive against a Bury side who looked threatening with every attack, with the point being owed massively to some great saves by Mazfari.

With the opponents this time around having been set to leave Gainsborough with a point, until a second-half substitute unravelled their hopes as they proceeded to concede twice in 6 minutes.

The match between us saw the Steelmen start well, with early chances frustratingly going astray.

There was also a very early sub for the hosts, as within the opening ten minutes Luke Ellis was brought off after picking up an injury by the halfway line.

We would keep pressing Workington as the half progressed, winning corners and having shots on goal, though none could find their way past the keeper.

In the 17th minute, we had many opportunities, with the best two seeing Spalding break into the box before having the ball taken off him, and then a Louis Johnson attempt moments later went behind.

Ciaran Banks flashed a ball across the 6-yard box, though the pass went straight through and was turned behind for a corner; an Oscar Fletcher chance saw him put his shot over the crossbar from just inside the box, and a Louis Johnson strike was gathered by the goalkeeper.

We passed the half hour mark with the scores level, and even though certain apps tried to hint otherwise, the score would remain the same as we entered the break.

Thankfully, that fact is heavily down to a late stop by our goalkeeper, as a whipped-in cross was headed at Mazfari from point-blank, but he was able to grab and hold onto the ball, with the whistle for the break following shortly after.

The remaining 45 minutes saw Workington fashion more chances. However, we had not let up offensively either, with some brilliant work from Owen Burns seeing him spin a defender as he entered the box before his deflected attempt fell to Spalding, whose shot went wide.

Workington, as mentioned, did enter the game more, with attempts having to be stopped by some decent defending, most notably coming from Danni Lay as he put in a few challenges to halt their opportunities

A few more attempts came and went for both sides, as we brought on Andrei Ardelean for Adam Boyes in a striker-striker swap.

The hosts were brought down to ten at the 70th minute mark, when Kai Nugent, who just 7 minutes prior had been booked, was shown another yellow for a foul on the halfway line.

Workington then created a prime chance in the 71st minute, despite being down to 10 men, as a lone attacker got the ball, weaved back and forth before getting into the box and thumping a strike towards goal that cannoned off the post.

We entered the final ten minutes with the stalemate still in existence, with Lewis Hawkins also brought on for Luke Spalding.

We had two shots blocked in the 85th minute, with a corner being the consolation to that chance. Curtis Round came on for Owen Burns, and we entered added time with no goals scored.

However, in the 94th minute we won a free kick out wide, with Brad Fewster brought on for JJ Bartliff in the process.

That free kick was worked into the box, a lofted ball hit Oscar Fletcher’s chest, and it fell to Brad Fewster, who lashed a strike on the volley into the net, sending the few Redcar fans who made the trip over into raptures.

We had snatched three points, and in true Steelmen fashion it was done via a last-minute winner!

Up next is a trip to Quorn on Saturday, and then we host Lancaster City at Green Lane the following Tuesday

We hope to see you at both!

Lineups:

Redcar Athletic: Mazfari, Guru, Banks, Bartliff [Fewster, 94′], Rowe, Lay (C), Spalding [Hawkins, 73′], Fletcher, Boyes [Ardelan, 67′], Burns [Round, 87′], Johnson

Unused subs: Smith

Workington AFC: Mitchell, Casson, Leslie, Whitehall, Douglas (C), Dickinson, Stephenson [Allan, 72′], Ellis [Barnes, 10′], Dickenson, Nugent, Hunter

Unused subs: Rigby, Palmer, Thomson