Weston-super-Mare 1 Workington 1

A positive second-half response to an interval deficit earned Workington a deserved FA Trophy replay.

Scott Allison, the goal-scoring hero against Hartlepool in the last round, notched the 66th minute equaliser.

It means the National League South side will have to make the nightmare 620-mile round trip on Tuesday.

Reds had been invited to play to a finish in Saturday’s second round tie but had declined.

But by the way they took charge of the game in the second-half at the Woodspring Stadium there was every indication they might have gone on to win it in any extra-time period that had been agreed.

The trouble in the first half was that Reds weren’t themselves in possession.

Whilst Westo were tidy and comfortable with the ball, Reds struggled in the main to string their passes together.

They did have their moments, but in the main it was Weston who looked the more threatening.

That changed instantly the second-half got under way. There was a better tempo about Reds when they got the chance to go forward and went close on several occasions before deservedly going level on 66 minutes.

Weston, often patient in their build-up, prepared to play out from the back, scored their goal on 15 minutes.

It was straight off the training ground. Their first corner of the game was put in low to the edge of the area where two players appeared to step-over the ball and wrong-foot the Workington defence.

Jarrad Welch was the next man along and he fired a sweet shot into the top corner, which took a deflection on its way to thwart Aaran Taylor.

On a couple of occasions full-back Danny Greenslade and winger Tristan Plummer got round the back and low crosses flashed across the Workington goal but there was no-one there to take advantage.

There was also a chance when Jake Lee got through but Taylor held on comfortably to his attempted lob.

Workington were not without their moments. Conor Tinnion, on the run, hit one from the edge of the area which saw keeper Luke Purnell go full length to turn away.

Purnell also produced a smart stop to push away a shot on the turn from Dave Symington.

It was all so different after the break with Reds showing their intent within seconds.

Nathan Waterston breezed past the full-back, pulled back a fine cross and Allison was moving in for the kill when a defender got there first to concede a corner.

Waterston had another pacey run into the area and fired in a strong shot which Purnell could only parry.

Phil McLuckie was jut over with an effort from the edge of the area; Matty Douglas arrived late to a corner and headed into the side netting and Symington curled on just wide.

Then Tinnion rose superbly to a Symington cross, beat Purnell to the ball but his header was just over the bar.

The goal didn’t arrive, though, and Weston had started to find their rhythm when Reds broke to score a fine equaliser on 66 minutes.

Gari Rowntree, in the centre circle, played a fine ball out to the right where Waterston hared past the defender before pulling back another delicious low cross which this time was thumped home by Allison.

Reds had seized the initiative and McLuckie was close to the second. Stretching every sinew he won the race with Purnell to a through ball but in lifting his shot over the keeper also put it inches over the bar.

Symington fired a typical thunderbolt inches the wrong side of the post and Anthony Wright curled one away from the keeper but agonisingly outside the far post.

There was also a big penalty shout for Reds when Allison went down with Purnell. It was either a penalty or a goal-kick but the referee inexplicably gave a corner.

Both sides really went for it in the closing stages and there were some important blocks in a crowded Reds penalty area with Dan Wordsworth and Josh Calvert fully involved.

A couple of shots were close while Taylor made a couple of regulation saves low down on his line.

  • Weston-super-Mare: Purnell, Harper, Greenslade, Cane, Smith, Pope, Plummer (Kington 85), Diallo, Hill, Welch, Lee (Reid 83). Subs (not used) Laird, Hunter, Morris-Edwards.
  • Goal: Welch (15)
  • Workington: Taylor, Douglas, Rowntree, Wordsworth, Calvert, Wright (Earl 90), Symington, McLuckie, Allison, Waterston (Holt 84), Tinnion. Subs (not used) Joel, Wilson, Mellen.
  • Goal: Allison (66)
  • Referee: Adam Bromley
  • Crowd: 361