It was another windy Saturday at Borough Park, but Workington refused to be blown off course.

Two goals in the last ten minutes ensured they saw off a young, but well-organised Brighouse side.

It kept them seven points clear at the top, while Pontefract – who sit fourth but have six games in hand – drew to leave them 16 points adrift.

Workington just have to keep going, keep winning and the main prize will be theirs.

With the wind behind them in the first half the only surprise was that they just had a goal to show for it at the break.

Dave Symington’s opener on 25 minutes had as much to do with the strength of the wind as his placement.

He was out on the left, some 40 yards from goal, and he hoisted it effectively.

Jordan Porter, the Brighouse skipper and keeper, always looked in trouble and it was too late when he got a hand to the ball and could only help it into the net.

Earlier Symington had been closest to breaking the deadlock when he thumped one of his edge-of-the-box thunderbolts against the bar with Porter well beaten.

Porter had been more comfortable in making regulation saves to keep out two well-struck low drives from Brad Hubbold.

It was almost 2-0 just before the break when Brad Carroll dribbled skilfully deep into the box, but managed to poke a shot past closing defenders, only for it to agonisingly roll inches past the wrong side of the post

Brighouse offered little and were happy to restrict Reds until they got the chance to use it.

They did better in the second half, with more of the ball, but were guilty of hitting their passes too long in the wind.

In fact, Porter had more to do than Jim Atkinson, going well at full stretch to hold a shot from Sam Smith.

But the visitors did prosper on 66 minutes. Josh Grant lifted a free kick into the area where it was not properly cleared and Reece Kendall thumped a great shot beyond the diving Atkinson.

Reds faced a crucial 20 minutes against the elements, but started to dominate again.

Scott Allison seemed a certain scorer, but his shot deflected behind for a corner while Brigham defenders made a series of brave blocks to keep out efforts from Symington, Carroll and Ceiran Casson.

But the game dramatically tilted Reds’ way on 82 minutes when Brigham’s teenage debutant Joshua Austerfield was sent off for a second yellow card.

Within two minutes Reds had regained the lead. Substitute Millenic Alli lifted a ball into the area where Carroll nodded down to Allison who drove home his 21st goal of the season.

Two minutes later it was 3-1. Breaking quickly out of defence a long ball forward invited Nathan Waterston to chase. He stumbled when he was challenged but managed to get the ball through to the supporting Alli who finished calmly into the bottom corner.

It was another good day at the office for the Reds with solid contributions throughout the team, fronted by Smith and his defensive partner Dan Wordsworth.

Match Facts

Reds: Atkinson, Clarke (Alli 82), Brockbank, Wordsworth, Smith, Casson, Symington, Carroll, Allison, Hubbold (Waterston 64), Tinnion (Lonsdale 88). Subs (not used): Hebson, Lonsdale.

Goals: Symington (45), Allison (84), Alli (86)

Brighouse: Porter, Benn, Kendall, Wright (Austerfield 58), Harris, Beeden, Church (Sawyer 77), Grant, Jagger, Boyle, Clarke (Keita 67). Subs (not used): Reed, White.

Goal: Kendall (66)

Attendance: 441

Referee: Chris Porter

Star Man: Sam Smith