Last updated at 13:21, Monday, 27 October 2008

Vauxhall Motors 3 Workington Reds 0: When the driver of the team coach had to pull into the services to wait an hour for a replacement bus there was just the hint it might not be Workington’s day.

Lee Andrews

By the time defender Lee Andrews was shown the red card in the final minute at Vauxhall, that fact was rudely enforced.

An horrendous journey, a delayed kick-off; a shocking first-half display and finally Andrews’ dismissal on the back of a 3-0 defeat meant it was one to all intents and purposes Reds’ worst day of the season.

Rain and strong cross-winds on Shap caused the bus door to fly open and the driver’s attempts to close it were unsuccessful, so that meant an enforced stop en-route while a second coach was sent for.

The Workington party arrived at the Ellesmere Port club quarter of an hour before the scheduled kick-off time, so that was put back half-an-hour.

It was clearly an incentive for Vauxhall – with only one previous League win – to come out of the blocks as quickly as their Motormen nickname might indicate.

They did, too, so that Workington were on the back foot from the start showing an uncertainty and lack of enthusiasm that might have been caused by their interrupted preparations.

The worrying thing, however, was that when they did settle and produce a semblance of the football they are capable of, there was a distinct lack of a cutting edge.

Also, by then, the damage had been done with Workington trailing by two goals, and if it hadn’t been for a good penalty stop from Adam Collin, the Cumbrians could have been looking at a three-goal deficit. Vauxhall, clearly encouraged to get at the Reds from the start, took only five minutes to grab the lead.

A right wing cross was lifted into the Workington area – normally meat and drink for Collin – but as the ball seemed to hang and swirl in the wind the keeper fumbled. It meant there was a simple tap in for Chris Noone to give the Motormen the lead.

Clearly uneasy – whether by the journey or the early set-back – Reds continually gavethe ball away so that they constantly under threat.

There was some controversy over the penalty award, however, on 18 minutes. It seemed an accidental collision as both Collin and Barrow loanee Nick Rogan clashed just inside the Workington area.

The referee had no doubt and awarded the spot kick but justice was done when Collin went down well to turn aside Karl Noon’s penalty.

Unfortunately Reds didn’t prosper from that potentially morale-boosting stop and a minute later did fall 2-0 behind. Rogan found space in the box on the right hand side and his low shot across Collin saw James Holden racing in at the far post to steer the ball back into the opposite corner for a good poacher’s goal.

It was only in the last ten minutes of the half that Reds really threatened to get back into the contest.

Dan Robinson had time to control and place a shot from the edge of the area but fired over the bar and then a great run from

Dave Hewson ended with a well-hgit shot which arrowed just beyond the angle of post and bar.

The demand during the interval must have been for more urgency and work-raste from the Reds and they started the second-half in positive fashion.

A splendid dipping shot from the edge of the area from Johnston beat keeper James Coates but struck the bar and Robinson was just unable to get on the end of a lovely flighted ball from Graham Anthony.

The fact that Tony Hopper, Workington’s most energetic midfielder, limped off on 68 minutes was just another indicator of how the day was going for Reds – and when Vauxhall scored a minute later the game really was up.

Gari Rowntree couldn’t close down Holden as he broke into the area and he got past rather too easily to square for Noon. He made amends for his penalty miss by calmly side-footing into the bottom corner, giving Collin no chance.

Remarkably Workington created three good chances in the last ten minutes which could have given them a dramatic share of the spoils. They all involved the two late substitutes Andrew Hardman and Martyn Coleman.

With his first touch Hardman had a great opportunity cutting into the area from the right but snatched at his shot and drilled it over the bar.

Then a nice cross in by Anthony Wright was won by Coleman but his deft, flicked header was only inches past the post.

Then Coleman fashioned a fine curling cross from theleft and Hardman leapt well but directed his header over the top.

It was probably the little cameo near the end from Coleman which would give the Reds management something tangible to take from a day of disasters.

The nineteen-year-old Eden-based striker is clearly very raw but did enough in his 12 minutes on the pitch to suggest that he has the right material to be worked on.

But the last memory from a totally miserable afternoon was the sight of Andrews trudging off after being shown a second yellow card for a trip on the edge of the area in the final minute.

STAR MAN – On a day when no Workington player reached anywhere near his peak KYLE MAY was perhaps the closest to it. The most encouraging performance came from young Coleman late on.

WORKINGTON: Collin, Hewson, Rowntree, May, Andrews, Vipond, Anthony, Hopper (McLuckie 68), Johnston (Hardman 78), Robinson (Coleman 78), A. Wright.

Subs (not used) Kirkup, Edmondson.

First published at 11:25, Monday, 27 October 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk