Kendal Town 1 Workington Reds 3

Reds cruised to a comfortable win in this mundane affair as they took another step towards the start of the proper season in two weeks' time.

They weren’t seriously tested in this latest warm-up game despite travelling with a squad down to the bare bones. Only 13 players were available, which included a couple of goalkeepers and two untested teenagers.

It mattered little, because Kendal couldn’t match an assured Workington side who dominated for long periods.

Joint manager, Lee Andrews, praised his senior players who helped look after 16 year olds Leo Holliday and Cameron Harker, were both called up for an unexpected first team debut.

“It’s always a good feeling to win matches but we have stressed all along that pre-season is all about fitness and most of the players benefitted from a full 90 minutes today,” he said after the match.

Things might have been a little differently had the hosts converted an early opportunity which they created, but they didn’t and were distinctly second best thereafter.

Rick Seear started a promising move which caught Reds off-guard but Anthony Lynch failed to convert Connor Gaul’s low cross and the chance was gone.

Reds' response was to get into their stride at the other end but David Symington was well off target with his first effort, and then Anthony Wright was denied by the first of several smart saves from Town’s Will Kitchen.

The opening goal came after 20 minutes and came from an attack down the right. Jake Simpson supplied a perfect cross into the danger area and Jack Ryan firmly headed home from 12 yards.

Symington went close to doubling the advantage soon after but his well struck free-kick from all of 30 yards was pushed over the bar by Kitchen.

Sear volleyed another chance wide as the hosts finished the half strongly, and he then had the ball in the net, only to be denied by an assistant’s flag.

Reds moved up a gear after the break and added to their lead in the 51st minute. A well-worked routine from a quickly taken free-kick culminated in former Kendal player, Rob Wilson, driving the ball past Kitchen and into the far corner of the net.

The young keeper was helpless as another Symington free-kick rattled his crossbar but he then saved well to keep out a close-range effort from the same Workington player.

Seear had the ball in the net once again but this time disallowed for impersonating Diego Maradona’s "hand-of-God" goal.

It was Reds who established a three-goal lead with Simpson getting his name on the score-sheet after 82 minutes. Conor Tinnion’s sublime touch eased the ball into Simpson’s path and he curled the ball over the stranded Kitchen.

A hitherto trouble-free game exploded when John-Paul Stanway’s late tackle left Tinnion on the turf but the feisty interlude was quickly nipped in the bud by referee Liam Marshall.

Reds gifted the hosts a consolation goal seven minutes from time. Tom Fowler got the ball tangled between his feet when about to make a routine clearance and Reece Pearce took advantage by walking the ball into the net.

There was still time for Kitchen to pull off another excellent save, this time beating away a goal-bound Wilson effort from a free-kick.

Andrews, although well pleased with the afternoon’s work, will be hoping for a tougher examination in their final two friendly matches this week.

Kendal Town: Kitchen, Aspin (Wardle, 70), Thomas (Hoctor, 70), Grundy (Pearce, 75), McDonald (Draycott, 70), Alexander, Lynch (Stanway, 67), Dawson, Seear (McGahon, 75), Taylor (Clarke, 67), Gaul.

Workington: Taylor (Fowler, 46), Simpson, Wright, Smith, Douglas, Earl, Symington, Wilson, Ryan, Holliday (Harker, 46), Tinnion.

Referee: Liam Marshall, Preston

Star man: Jake Simpson – reliable defensively and a threat going forward with a good afternoon’s work capped by a well taken goal.