Goalless matches are quite rare in pre-season with both City and Reds failing to score for the first time in their respective pre-season campaigns.

The visitors created more clear-cut chances, but nothing to seriously test City’s competent keeper and skipper Mike Hale. He even saved a first-half penalty to prevent Reds taking the lead just before the interval.

“I think we would have won comfortably had we brought our shooting boots with us,” was general manager Derek Townsley’s reponse to Reds’ first blank in eight friendlies adding, “but it’s another 90 minutes under the belts and by the August 13, we’ll be ready to go.”

Once again, Reds had to rely on a depleted squad with up to half-a-dozen regulars missing, mainly through niggling injuries which has blighted preparations.

Reds had to show great resilience in the early stages as City forced no fewer than six corners. Yet despite their early dominance, they were unable to create an opening and Aaran Taylor’s work was mainly dealing with Billy Akrigg’s set piece crosses. Indeed, the game was half an hour old before Taylor made his first save of note – gathering Jordan Connerton’s stinging drive at the second attempt.

And Reds had a great chance of going in front soon after, following a thirty ninth minute penalty awarded in their favour. David Symington found Scott Allison with an accurate pass but the latter’s progress was checked by Gavin Clark whose tug on Allison’s shirt was punished by the referee who pointed to the spot. Allison took the penalty himself but was thwarted by Hale’s diving save.

Prior to that, Nathan Waterston, twice, Jake Simpson, twice, Symington and Robbie Hebson all had attempts at goal which either failed to hit the target or hardly troubled Hale.

Matthew Douglas came close to opening his goal account for the Reds but his firm header, via Conor Tinnion’s free kick soon after the restart, was comfortably gathered by Hale.

The hard-working Waterston, making his first start in Workington red, had another attempt caught by Hale after Allison’s fine pass created the opportunity.

Tinnion and Symington tried their luck from distance but Hale dealt with the former’s effort then watched as Symington’s shot landed on the roof of the net.

When City got going again they almost broke the deadlock. Akrigg’s free kick towards the far post was met by Jacob Davis whose powerful header came to rest in the side netting.

Davis and Reds’ Calum Henderson were then involved in a nasty mid-air collision, with both falling in a heap clutching head injuries. Waterston again broke through but his shot not only cleared substitute goalkeeper, Luke Raybould, but the crossbar too.

City finished the game as they started with a flurry of corners but Reds were in no mood to surrender and some, at times, desperate defending preserved the clean sheet.

With Waterston hobbling off before the end and Henderson contemplating a visit to hospital, Townsley concluded, “I have never known a pre-season like it for niggling injuries and, hopefully, our luck will change when the league programme starts. We are due a clear run.”

Lancaster City : Hale, Henry, Anderson, Russell, Davis, Clark, Crolla, Akrigg, Connerton, Waters, Shearwood. Substitutes – Cummings, Gregory, Livingstone, Watson, Wills, Raybould.

Workington : Taylor (Fowler, 65), Simpson, Smith, May, Douglas (Henderson, 78), Calvert, Symington, Tinnion, Waterston, Allison (Kilifin, 65), Hebson.

Referee: Elliot Swallow, Preston