Workington Reds 0 Skelmersdale United 1: Rock-bottom Skelmersdale United were the only ones celebrating at Borough Park last night as they turned over Workington Reds in a scrappy uneventful contest.

This was only the visitors’ fourth victory of the season but in the end they deserved the points.

Workington never really got started in this game. They were crowded off the ball by a strong Skelmersdale defence at every opportunity.

United belied their position to begin the game brightly and just when it looked like Reds were starting to hit form, they grabbed a crucial goal.

That deflated the home side and although they continued to battle it wasn’t going to be their day.

Chances went begging and Dave Symington struck a penalty attempt off the crossbar and into the crowd.

You could sense the feeling in Borough Park that this was a game Reds could and should have won but they were just not at the races.

It started well for the visitors as they had a superb chance as they broke away and found Nathan Randell in space just inside the area.

He took his time and tried to slot it past Aaran Taylor in the Reds goal but he made a great save.

Randell got another chance as Kyle May slipped and the attacker bore down on goal but Sam Smith was quickly across to defuse the danger and Reds came away.

Dave Symington looked to use his pace and guile down the left hand flank and got in a great cross-come-shot which a diving keeper regathered at the second attempt.

But Randell was causing problems for Reds as Max Allan laid a great ball to his feet but this time he did not trouble the keeper as he shot wide.

Reds' first real chance fell to Scott Allison in the 15th minute when the ball found him in the box. He turned and shot but it was wide of the target.

Rob Wilson had a chance on the edge of the area but he could not get hold of the ball properly and it skidded through to the keeper.

Related: Lacklustre Workington Reds beaten by bottom of league Skelmersdale

Josh Calvert looked to find Sam Joel with a lovely ball but the visiting defence stepped up to clear and Reds, although having more possession, were struggling to make it count.

Jack Ryan battled to win the ball and try his luck at beating the keeper but the final shot was too tame and Chris Cheetham dealt with it easily.

It was Skelmersdale who took the lead against the run of play. Steve Irwin took on a static defence and slotted past Taylor.

The game turned increasingly scrappy with neither side making much headway and the visitors were nearly two up when a catalogue of errors allowed them through again but this time they could not make their position pay.

Reds had their opportunity just before the break as a corner was whipped in and Kyle May’s shot was cleared off the line.

Skelmersdale went in at the break 1-0 up and deservedly so as they had the better of the play in the first 45 minutes.

The second half started in similar vein as the visitors defended well and Reds could not find a way through.

The period was 15 minutes old before there was any excitement. Jake Simpson played the ball across the face of goal but nobody could get on the end of it.

Scott Allison did well as he took on his man and beat him to come into the box, trying to find Symington but again Reds were thwarted.

James Earl replaced Ryan and was right into the thick of the action as he turned defenders to get in a shot that took a deflection and was halted by a diving keeper by the post.

But then Reds got a real opportunity as Symington was brought down in the area.

He stepped up to take the penalty himself but his effort blasted onto the crossbar and out into the crowd.

Symington tried to make amends moments later as he bore down on goal again but this time the keeper came out to clear.

At the opposite end of the field Skelmersdale won a free kick but Steven Gillespie’s effort was always rising above the bar.

Reds won a free kick which Simpson put floating high into the air but the keeper was first to react, despite the attentions of Nathan Waterston.

The home side were trying everything to get forward and they nearly snatched one back as Rob Wilson got a good ball into Scott Allison who slid in to get a touch but he couldn’t get it past the keeper.

Inside the first minute of added time, Simpson put a corner in and found the head of Waterston but again it went just wide.

Into the last minute and there were chances for both sides saved by the opposing keepers, Jack Watts tried his luck for Skelmersdale and Allison for Reds.

But the final whistle sounded with Skelmersdale on top and taking the three points home with them.

Workington Reds: Taylor, Simpson, Rowntree, May, Smith, Calvert, Allison, Wilson, Ryan (Earl 61), Joel, Symington (Waterston 77). Subs (not used): Douglas, Cham, Henderson

Yellow cards: Joel 36, Rowntree 79

Skelmersdale: Cheetham, Glennon (Bradshaw 87), White, Jeffries, Mooney, Grogan, Howarth (Shacklock 63), Irwin, Randell, Gillespie, Allan (Watts 60). Subs (not used): McNally, Stevens

Goals: Irwin 35

Yellow cards: Gillespie 36, Irwin 53, Mooney 70

Referee: N Cox

Crowd: 329