South Shields 4 Workington Reds 1: On the face of it, South Shields strolled to a comfortable victory over the west Cumbrians, their 10th win in as many home games.

But, in fact, this was harder for the hosts than the scoreline indicates as they got lucky with three of their goals.

Workington went close on several occasions themselves but didn’t enjoy the same good fortune and, in fact, had better opportunities than Shields.

Reds’ acting manager Lee Andrews thought all four goals had been preventable and praised his side for the way they had shaped up against a South Shields team who have been sweeping all before them at Mariners Park.

South Shields’ opening goal on 12 minutes was the one they scored without any good fortune, although Andrews will probably feel David Foley lost his man rather too easily.

Foley, the home side’s best player, slipped a tackle and then slid a ball into the box for Lee Mason to find space and curl a low shot past Aaran Taylor.

Although they built patiently – once putting together 24 consecutive passes in their own half – Shields carved out few clear-cut chances. Taylor did well to turn aside a shot from Mason and the keeper was down well to hold a sharp header from Carl Finnigan.

Generally, though, there was more danger at the other end with Scott Allison in the thick of the goalmouth action.

Sam Joel did really well at the byline with a fine, deep cross and Allison’s downward header beat keeper Liam Connell but was cleared off the line by home skipper Jon Shaw.

Then, from a Conor Tinnion corner, Allison put in another header which Connell couldn’t hold, flapped at and was fortunate to take at the third time of asking.

Then, right at the end of the half, a strong shot from Allison looked goal-bound until it was deflected behind for a corner.

Workington, in fact, were dominant at the start of the second period when Jordan Holt had a strong shot deflected for a corner while the ball just wouldn’t sit after a clever link-up between Sean Paterson and Niall Cowperthwaite.

Unfortunately for Reds, the game was pushed South Shields’ way with their first slice of luck on 56 minutes.

A free-kick just outside the area was thumped in by Nathan Lowe but took a wicked deflection off the Reds wall to loop over Taylor.

Eleven minutes later, it was 3-0 from a penalty which should never have been given. Foley, accused of diving by Reds players closest to the incident, admitted that he’d slipped.

The penalty had been given, however, and Robert Briggs marked his 200th appearance for the club by slotting home from the spot.

Still Reds kept going. Substitute Sheldon Mossop scored from an acute angle but was flagged offside and Paterson squeezed a shot just wide after clever build-up play.

Sadly, an error from Taylor completed the scoring for South Shields on 78 minutes. The keeper seemed undecided whether Cowperthwaite’s unintentional lob into the area was considered a back pass.

It bounced awkwardly and, as he tried to control with his feet, it squirted loose and a simple pass back inside gave substitute Joshua Gillies the goal.

The consolation for Reds came in the shape of an 85th-minute goal from Tinnion. He ran across the edge of the area before beating the diving Connell with a low shot into the bottom corner.

Tinnion was probably the best for Reds on a day when everyone put in a good shift and did not deserve to finish on the wrong end of a 4-1 scoreline.

Match Facts

South Shields: Connell, Baxter, Lough, Shaw (Guy 73), Morse, Turnbull (Brown 73), Foley, Briggs, Mason, Finnigan (Gillies 68), Lowe. Sub (not used) Adams.

Workington: Taylor, Cowperthwaite, Rowntree, Wordsworth, Calvert, Paterson, Holt, Maguire (Hubbold 46), Allison, Joel (Mossop 73), Tinnion. Sub (not used) Harker.