Workington Reds strike back with victory over Shaw Lane

Both sides came into this game looking to get back on track after defeats at the weekend and it was Reds who came out on top as they claimed a 2-0 win.

Reds looked a different side from the one who lost on Saturday as they forced the early pace.

There were a few tense moments as the clash started but, as it wore on, Reds looked the more dangerous of the sides.

And they were deserving of their lead at the break, thanks to a header off the free-scoring Matty Douglas.

It just got better from the home team as they outplayed their visitors across the park before Douglas got his ninth of the season with Reds' second of the game.

As the game began, Steven Rigg tried his luck from outside the area with a shot but it bounced off a Shaw Lane defender and went out for a corner.

It was whipped back in where the ball was met by the head of Josh Calvert but it went narrowly wide.

Another corner went the way of Reds but was punched clear by the keeper.

But the ball fell to Dave Symington but he miscued his kick and, when Josh Calvert attempted a bicycle kick, he just caught the Shaw Lane defender and he was penalised.

A good break from Damian Reeves saw Shaw Lane break down the field and he put in a great cross to the on-rushing Tyler Williams but the attacker took too long on the ball and Reds got back to block.

Reds got back on the attack when a Rob Wilson ball found Rigg on the left-hand side. He played in Symington who danced into the area before letting loose with a shot.

Keeper Eddie Wylczynski blocked the shot but couldn't hold the ball with the defence coming to his rescue and hooking it away.

The visitors were coming more into the game and, as they built-up the pressure again, it was Aaran Taylor who had to come well out of his area to clear the ball and help out his defence.

But there were chances at both ends as Symington fought past two defenders to get a good, long cross in. It was partially cleared but Gari Rowntree hooked it back in and Tinnion tried a shot on the turn which just skimmed the wrong side of the post.

Workington pressed again with a free-kick that Allison headed back into the danger area. Dan Wordsworth and Rigg charged on to it but the final touch from the central defender went wide.

Allison was caught from behind and Reds picked up another free-kick which Tinnion directed to the huddle of Workington players on the right-hand side but a Shaw Lane defender hammered it out for a corner.

Tinnion lifted the ball into the area and Matty Douglas was there again to rise up at the near post and head it home to give his side a deserved lead.

Immediately, Reds were in danger though as they gave away a free-kick on the byline and it was the scorer Douglas who headed clear.

As Reds looked to consolidate their lead, Wright was brought down about 25 metres out by the Shaw Lane skipper David Norris, who earned himself a yellow card in the process.

After treatment, Wright was back on his feet and Symington whipped in the free-kick but it fell right into the arms of the keeper.

And just a few moments later he had a second chance at a free-kick, when Rowntree was brought down, slightly closer, but this time his effort was high and wide.

It was the home side doing the damage and rattling their visitors as they won a corner which was initially cleared before falling to Josh Calvert.

He let loose with a powerful shot but it ricocheted off Norris to go out for another corner, followed by a third before the ball was finally cleared.

Shaw Lane began the second half at a faster tempo, looking to get right back into the game but their early chances cmae to nothing.

Then, a golden opportunity came for Reds as a clearance hit Tinnion and the ball fell to Rigg.

He hammered the ball goalwards and Rigg would have picked up his first goal at Borough Park if it wasn't for the boot of Jake Skelton, who cleared off the lines and injured himself in the process.

Reds were back on the attack as a good cross in from Rigg was met by the diving head of Wordsworth which just went narrowly wide.

Tinnion tried his luck with a powerful drive off his right foot, but again, it was just the wrong side of the post.

Symington and Tinnion were working exceptionally hard to take the ball forward and give Reds the chance to improve their lead.

Paul Clayton found his way into the referee's books for a foul on Douglas as the visitors appeared to be getting rattled as the clock ticked down.

Reds were on the up and they extended their lead on the 69-minute mark. A free-kick from Symington curled to the far post where a rising Douglas put a second bullet header past the keeper for his ninth of the season.

Norris was in the thick of the action for the next few minutes as first he fouled Wright and earned a stern talking to from the ref.

And then he nearly brought his side back into the game when his angled shot rolled right across the face of goal, evading the keeper and the defensive line but, thankfully for Reds, just missing its target.

Shaw Lane won a couple of corners in succession as the game entered the last five minutes and the second saw Taylor punch clear but the ball bounced back off the post before he could regather.

Shaw Lane got their best opportunity of the night as the game entered added time and it was a Clayton header that forced a superb diving save from Taylor to keep the visitors out.

But he did and as the final whistle sounded, it was Reds who clinched the points and a major boost going into the remaining games.

Reds: Taylor, Douglas, Rowntree, Wordsworth, Calvert, Wright, Symington, Wilson, Allison, Rigg (Mellen 87), Tinnion. Subs (not used): Smith, Whitehead, MacDonald, Williams.

Goals: Douglas 30, 69.

Shaw Lane: Wylczynski, Picton (Chilaka 83), Gordon, Lugsden, Skelton, Norris (Rothery 72), Byrne, Brown-Hill, Clayton, Reeves, Williams (Knight 70). Subs (not used): Chilaka, Quinn, Abidaki.

Yellow cards: Norris 38, Clayton 66.

Referee: Adam Wllliamson.

Half time: 1-0.

Crowd: 269.