Workington boss Dave Hewson praised young goalkeeper Tom Fowler who saved two penalties as Reds inched into the Integro League Cup second round after a shootout.

Ramsbottom United pushed Reds all the way as the game ended 2-2 after 90 minutes and the clash went to penalties.

Fowler deserved the plaudits for saving two penalties and Jake Simpson, Elliot Newby, Anthony Wright and Joe McGee all put their efforts away to clinch the game 4-2 on penalties.

"Young Tom did brilliantly in goal for us, he deserves a lot of credit for the fact we won the shootout, plus we scored some good goals," said Hewson.

"There was some good penalties, especially from Elliot Newby."

But Hewson admitted Reds should have finished the game off earlier as they twice took the lead, only to lose it moments later.

"It was a little bit of a lacklustre performance," he added. "After starting brightly, we let the game peter away and lost tempo and energy.

"In the second half, we started bright and fresh and looked to kick on from that second goal but we conceded a poor goal and they got back in the game.

"It turned scrappy after that. I thought we had created enough at the end to snatch it but it wasn't to be."

Reds will now face Clitheroe in the next round on January 10.

There were also some injury worries as Matty Douglas, James Earl and Conor Tinnion all came off the field with knocks ahead of Saturday's home league game with Hednesford.

But the good news for Reds was the form of Joe McGee and Anthony Wright, who played a full 90 minutes, starting for only the second time this season after returning from injury.