By John Walsh

Last updated at 12:32, Wednesday, 10 March 2010

Blyth Spartans 0 Workington Reds 0: In the end it was a hard-earned point for the west Cumbrians in a game which didn’t rise to the heights experienced at Borough Park a week earlier.

Lee Andrews

Workington were the better footballing side, with Blyth frequently resorting to the tactics so derided by the late, great Bill Shankly – the ale-house ball for forwards to chase.

Yet in the final analysis Blyth had the better goal-mouth opportunities during the 90 minutes and Workington were grateful that these chances weren’t taken.

In the space of seconds Paul Brayson and Robbie Dale both struck the same segment of Tony Caig’s right-hand post with the keeper unable to do anything about either.

Brayson’s was a shot across the Reds keeper which cannoned back into play off the far upright but the onrushing Dale, under pressure, could only strike the same post with his follow-up shot.

Dale, too, had a great chance to win the game in the last five minutes when he got on the end of a Steve Turnbull cross some six yards out but headed over.

By then Reds had largely got to grips with the basic Blyth tactics which had caused one or two problems in the first half.

Brayson, a dangerous player, had seen one shot on the run blocked by Caig and he also fired over the bar from a good position in the same attack.

Generally, though, Workington defended well as a unit and one or two point-blank blocks – notably by Lee Andrews – underlined the “thou shalt not pass” maxim which has served Reds so well this season.

Still only 25 goals conceded in 28 games, Workington have far and away the best defence in Blue Square North although they did need that slice of luck last night to record another clean sheet.

It’s the other column which has prevented Reds from making an even more forthright challenge for the play-offs – as they have scored the same number 25 – and didn’t often look like adding to that at Croft Park.

Gareth Arnison fired wide in the first minute and Anthony Wright had a good shot on the run which keeper Jack Norton saved comfortably.

But otherwise in the first-half the nearest Reds came to breaking te deadlock was courtesy of home defender Stephen Harrison.

Arnison flung over a right wing cross which Harrison allowed to bounce but it cannoned off his body and flew towards the top corner of Norton’ net until the Blyth keeper stretched and clawed it behind for a corner.

There was also half a chance when Gari Rowntree floated over a free kick which Kyle May reached and headed back across goal where Anthony Wright just couldn’t get on the end of it.

In the second-half the close-calls at the Blyth end were even sparser. Arnison was put away down the left and as he cut in for goal might have considered a chip over the advancing Norton but went for power and drilled his shot well wide.

The only other moment of real concern for the home side came late-on when Reds again broke down the left an Arnison lifted in a deep cross which saw Phil McLuckie arriving late to get in ahead of the last defender but he was at full stretch to make contact and could only direct it wide of the mark.

Blyth’s finishing was poor – wasting three or four free-kicks on the edge of the area. A are lapse by Andrews saw him dispossessed just outside the box by Brayson but his shot comfortably cleared Caig’s goal.

After Dale put that late header over the bar the game was played out to its conclusion with no more scares for either side.

Skipper Tony Hopper and his central midfield partner Shaun Vipond were immense for Workington, two key players who epitomised the spirit and determination essential on these away trips – and there’s certainly going to be enough of them after Saturday’s home clash with Corby!

Reds: Caig, Langford, Rowntree, May, Andrews. Vipond, McLuckie, Hopper, J. Wright, Arnison, A. Wright (Bowman 79). Subs (not used) Hardman, Hewson, Hindmarch, Taylor.

Referee: Simon Clayton, County Duham

Crowd: 414

Star Man - Tony Hopper: Led by example and had a great ally in Shaun Vipond in the engine room.

First published at 11:26, Wednesday, 10 March 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk