By John Fuller

Last updated at 12:53, Monday, 10 November 2008

Workington Reds 0 Farsley Celtic 2: Ten-man Workington Reds crashed to a 2-0 defeat against Farsley Celtic on Saturday.

Craig Johnston

A goal either side of the break and a stupid red card for Craig Johnston cemented the loss for Darren Edmondson’s side.

Johnston was given a straight red card on 29 minutes when he swung a punch at Farsley’s Craig Bentham.

After the game Edmondson said he couldn’t defend his player and added: “Craig did swing a punch and missed. The lad made a meal of it but you can’t raise your hands at this or any level in football.”

In a dire first-half Reds should have taken the lead on 12 minutes when Dan Robinson was set up by strike partner Gareth Arnison.

Robinson’s 16-yard effort went straight at Curtis Aspden in the Farsley goal.

The visitors took the lead on 16 minutes. A throw in from the left was flicked on by James Walshaw and Lee Tuck steered the ball past Adam Collin into the corner of the net.

Johnston then received his marching orders. The midfielder had made two solid tackles, the second on Walshaw, who reacted angrily to the challenge.

Johnston pushed the striker over and the flash point was not helped when the Reds man threw a punch at Bentham who fell to the ground leaving referee Paul Brown with no option but to send him off.

The second-half could not have started much worse for Reds as Phil McLuckie conceded a penalty on 49 minutes.

The defender, starting in place of the suspended Lee Andrews, brought down Walshaw with an outstretched leg.

Former Middlesbrough striker Andy Campbell put the ball on the spot and hammered his penalty down the middle of the goal.

Goalkeeper Collin got a hand on it but the power took it past him and into the net.

Campbell should have got his second of the game on 63 minutes after Collin’s poor clearance fell to him. But the Workington shot-stopper dived low to his right and gathered the ball.

later Gareth Arnison had a chance to pull a goal back on 67 minutes but his flick lacked power and Aspden collected the ball comfortably.

Edmondson rang the changes bringing on Jonny Wright, for his first game in more than a month, and Andy Hardman. Gari Rowntree and Dan Robinson made way.
Hardman looked lively and Workington had a penalty shout of their own on 75 minutes.

A good move involving Wright, Arnison and Hardman was halted when Hardman’s ball into the box seemed to hit a defender’s hand. The 309 fans inside Borough Park screamed for the decision to go their way but the man in black didn’t agree.

Just a minute later Shaun Vipond produced the best piece of skill all game.

The midfielder lined up a free-kick after Hardman had been fowled.

From 25-yards out the on-loan man curled the ball up and over the wall but Aspden hurled himself into the top corner and got finger tips to it to push it away for a corner.

Cheeky Jonny Wright in injury time brought another fine save from Aspden when he hit a drop-ball from a tight angle towards the goal. Apsden back-peddled and knocked it over.

After the game Edmondson said his players were disappointed with the result.
“From the performance last week when we picked up a great point away at Southport I thought we would press on.

“We conceded two silly goals and the sending off didn’t help us.

“The first goal was defender poorly. Gari Rowntree allowed the ball to bounce in the box, which you cannot afford to do and the lad stuck it in.

“Gari needed to clear it but he didn’t and he feels bad that the goal was scored. The penalty was a killer for us but after that I thought we had most of the play.

“If you take the two goals out of the game then we dealt with them and there was nothing in it.”

Star man: Shaun Vipond battled well in the centre of the park and was unlucky not to score but once again defender Kyle May was head and shoulders above the rest.

May, who has been in influential form all season, was solid at the back and didn’t deserve to be on the losing team.

MATCH FACTS

Reds: Collin, Hewson (c), Rowntree (Jonny Wright, 69), May, McLuckie, Vipond, Johnston, Hopper, Arnison, Robinson (Hardman, 73), Anthony Wright. Subs not used: Coleman, Edmondson

Referee: Paul Brown

Attendance: 309

First published at 12:45, Monday, 10 November 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk