Workington Reds unlucky to lose FA Trophy clash against Farsley Celtic

And the National League North side will be breathing a sigh of relief, as they survived a real onslaught from the home side, who looked the better team on the day.

Unfortunately for Reds, they just could not put their chances away on Saturday and it was Farsley, with their early second-half goal, that move into the next round.

Workington were looking good in the early stages, more than matching their higher-league opponents and putting them on the rack on occasions.

But Farsley began to creep back into the game, as the opening half wore on.

A nice move going upfield from Reds saw a long ball played out to the right, where Scott Allison put the ball back into the path of the on-rushing Matty Clarke, and his thunderbolt just cleared the crossbar.

Reds had been taking it to their higher-league opponents and putting them under pressure, but the home side had to be wary of their visitors from set-pieces, with some height in the Farsley side.

The visitors thought they had opened the scoring when Tyler Walton found the back of the net but the linesman had already flagged for offside.

Tom Allen brought Allison down on the right, leaving Reds in a good position for a free-kick, which came wide to the left when Allison looked to play in Brad Hubbold. He managed to pull it back from a tight angle, but only into the arms of the keeper Elliot Wynne.

Reds kept coming and a great cross from Dav Symington sailed into the box, and a Farsley defender had to get in a good clearance.

But, up to the other end of the field, Jim Atkinson was called into action for Reds as he had to palm away a shot from Will Hayhurst for a corner

As Reds looked to pick up the pace, Symington put the ball in for Conor Tinnion who lofted it into the box and it was met by the head of Nathan Waterston but his effort again sailed over the bar.

Tinnion was then fouled in his own half and Symington quickly took the free-kick, looking for the early run from Allison, but the keeper narrowly beat him to the ball.

Then, a foul on Allison saw Symington get another chance over the ball and he lofted the ball in but, the keeper was first up to collect.

But, in the melee, Wynne went down in his area and play was halted while he received treatment.

He got back up and play resumed but both sides just saw the clock wind down and, as the ref blew for half-time, it remained 0-0 with all to play for.

Into the second half and Reds began with intent, as a Clarke effort across the face of goal was cleared off the line by a defender, then the final drilled cross was put out for a corner to defuse the immediate danger.

The corner came into a melee in the box but, in the end, the keeper gratefully scooped it up and quickly put Farsley back on the attack where they won a free-kick.

That was lofted in and the danger that was present throughout finally made itself felt. As Atkinson came out to try and punch it clear, the tall frame of Jack Higgins rose and headed home to give Farsley the lead.

With the goal boosting the visitors, Sam Smith and Liam Brockbank had to combine to block another strong effort as they upped the tempo.

Brockbank then did all the hard work down the left-hand flank, but his final ball went sailing clear of the target, with Symington's shot going dangerously close just moments later.

Reds were desperately looking to keep the ball alive and get back into the game and, just short of the 60-minute mar,  it looked as though their hard work would pay off.

A Clarke ball found Symington in space, and he turned and drilled in a low shot that looked goal-bound, only for it to agonisingly come rebounding off the far post.

Tinnion turned and looked to curl a shot in as Reds pressed again looking for that all-elusive goal but, again, it was just shy of the target.

Cieran Casson had the crowd back in full voice as he brought the ball out of his own box and up the right-hand side, releasing Waterston's whose cross had to be cleared by a back-tracking defender.

A near-perfect long ball from Hubbold then landed at the feet of Symington and he let loose once again but still couldn't hit the back of the net, despite going so close.

Then, at the other end, Atkinson had to come out and block one run before saving from an Atkinson effort moments later.

Reds won a corner after a Waterston effort was put out of play and it was won by the head of Dan Wordsworth, but sailed over the bar.

Workington were the side looking more likely to score but it just wasn't coming off for them. Waterston won the race for the ball up the right-hand side and put in a great cross to the feet of Allison. The striker met it full on but his shot inched over the crossbar to the groans of despair on the Borough Park terraces.

Against the run of play, a Farsley Celtic corner nearly proved fatal for Reds as first the ball came back off the post and then Brockbank cleared off the line to keep his side in with a chance with four minutes remaining.

Reds pressed as five minutes of added time were announced, but Allison just couldn't bring the ball down to control a shot and Farsley breathed another sigh of relief.

A Waterston shot ricocheted back off a Farsley defender and then, as Reds won a corner, Atkinson ran the length of the field to try and add his height to the attack but it was closed down.

In the end, as the final whistle sounded, it was a victory for Farsley but Reds could hold their heads high after a good performance that deserved more.