Workington Reds 1 Coalville Town 0

Workington Reds made it four wins on the trot after a much-improved display against high-flying Coalville Town.

The victory, which saw them take their opponents’ place in sixth, was well deserved and the game should have had more goals.

In the end, it was a lone goal from the penalty spot, from Conor Tinnion, that sealed the day for Reds.

And they also had their keeper Aaran Taylor to thank for two late saves as Coalville tried to get something out of their trip to west Cumbria.

Reds began with some nice football on display and they set a good early pace against a side that did not look a team up in sixth place.

Good link-up play between Sam Joel and Scott Allison led to a lovely ball being played though for James Earl.

He bore down on the keeper but Matthew Coton, in the Coalville goal, just got down to it in time.

Reds had a good claim for a penalty turned down in the 12th minute as Allison chased down a long ball in the area and looked to be brought down by the defender but the referee waved play on.

Another run from Allison was brought to a temporary halt as he went down under a bad challenge from Charlie Gatter which earned the Coalville defender a yellow card.

Into the 29th minute and Reds were pushing again as Tinnion got on to the end of a great ball but his finish went flying just over the crossbar.

Then came the second penalty shout that turned the game in the home side’s favour. Tinnion found Allison in the area and, when he went crashing down to the deck under a challenge, the ref pointed to the spot.

Tinnion stepped up to take it and hit it low, the keeper got a hand to it but couldn’t stop it from going into the back of the net.

But the home side knew that this might not be enough and they kept pushing their visitors, Joel tried to thread the ball through the centre for Symington but the keeper again just thwarted them.

Coalville had their first real chance with the half going into extra time when a powerful shot from Nathan Watson, one-on-one with Taylor, went over the bar but the score remained at 1-0 at half time.

Reds kept up the pace in the second half and were making Coalville work hard but, in this half, the visitors began to respond and had more chances.

But it was still the home side peppering the goalmouth to no avail. James Earl headed wide from a corner then Symington shot from a tight angle, it hit the defender and ricocheted into the arms of the waiting keeper

They kept pushing and, after more pressure, Joel found himself in space on the edge of the area but his well-hit drive went over the bar.

Joel again got a good ball in, looking for the run of Allison in the box but he just couldn’t get to it ahead of the keeper who gratefully gathered.

Reds made a couple of changes with the fresh legs of Jack Egan and Jamie Mellen replacing Earl and Joel but only after Joel had won Reds a corner.

It was floated in and Coalville looked to clear but only as far as Allison who hammered a shot from just outside the box that looked as though it was going into the top corner.

But the Coalville keeper made an acrobatic leap to push it over the bar and out for another corner which they dealt with more comfortably.

Then it was the turn of Aaran Taylor in the Reds goal to play the saviour as Coalville sub Ollie Bassett looked to chip him. But Taylor just got his fingertips to the ball and managed to pull it down and take control.

Play went back and forth in the dying minutes. A nice early ball from Egan looked to find Tinnion who was bearing down in the box but again it was the keeper’s ball.

Into injury time and Coalville looked to assert themselves into the game and Massiah McDonald had the crowd’s hearts in their mouths as he made Taylor save from close range.

But Workington saw out the game to take another set of crucial three points.

Reds: Taylor, Simpson, Smith, Wordsworth, Douglas, Earl (Mellen 77), Symington (Waterston 87), Holt, Allison, Joel (Egan 78), Tinnion. Subs (not used): Rowntree, Fowler.

Goals: Tinnion (34 pen).

Yellow cards: Allison 71.

Coalville: Coton, Gatter (Bassett 72), Taylor, Defrosiers, Freeman, Cox, McGlinchey (Mellors-Blair 58), Hollis, Creaney (Anderson 58), Watson, McDonald. Subs (not used): Dixon, Hannis.

Yellow cards: Gatter 17, McDonald 66.

Referee: C Dean.

Half time: 1-0

Attendance: 401.