Perpetual slow-starters Workington put their supporters through another frustrating 90 minutes after suffering back-to-back defeats on their travels.

And, just like at Marine five days earlier, Reds were the architects of their own downfall with another hit and miss performance.

In a carbon copy of their previous outing, the West Cumbrians found themselves two goals down before asserting some authority on the game.

The stumbling block on this occasion was Dabbers’ goalkeeper, Krystian Burzynski, who kept Reds at bay with a Man-of-the-Match performance which saw him make five stunning saves, and a few ordinary stops, in the second half.

But Nantwich were already in front at that stage, with goals either side of the interval, and possessed a determination that would see them through to their first win of the season.

According to the Nantwich programme, Burzynski doesn’t have a kit sponsor but he should soon be fixed up after this showing.

The former Crewe Alexandra stopper, who kept a clean sheet on his debut at Borough Park two years ago, denied Josh Calvert in the first half when the contest was still goalless. His agility came to the fore after the break and eye-catching saves denied Scott Allison, twice, David Symington, twice, and Sam Joel with the save from the latter probably the best of the lot.

Yet despite the goalkeeper’s heroics, Reds have to look at their own performance and, in particular, the art of defending. A strongpoint in recent seasons, the back four has struggled in the two away games to date and, with only one left sided player in the quartet, have looked slightly out of kilter.

It will be put right, I’m sure, but it has cost Reds dearly in successive away games.

The opening goal was a personal disaster for Sam Smith who firstly conceded a free-kick for a clumsy challenge which earned him a yellow card.

Then, when the subsequent free-kick was delivered into the area, the Reds’ defender’s punishment was doubled when he conceded an unfortunate own-goal.

Prior to that, Reds hadn’t looked in any real danger and had weathered the expected early onslaught without too many alarms. Matt Bell shot wide with one of two attempts and the other was comfortably gathered by Aaran Taylor.

Calvert, Smith and Jack Ryan all missed the target in what could loosely be called first half chances for Reds. But after Smith’s error of judgement, Reds looked a bit fragile at the back at the end of the first and start of the second halves.

Town’s second goal, after 47 minutes, was a case in point. The green-shirted home side cut Reds open with a swift counter attack and the cross from the right was controlled by Forbes. He laid the ball into the path of Jordan Davies who finished calmly and confidently with Reds defenders conspicuous by their absence.

And after going two goals down, Reds played their best football of the game but that’s when Mr Burzynski came into his own and his colleagues had enough nous to see out the game.

Reds manager David Hewson couldn’t hide his disappointment afterwards saying: “Full credit to Nantwich who were clinical and scored two goals from four or five chances whereas we failed to score from twice as many opportunities.”

“But we remain positive and are confident the current squad will come through this spell and turn things around,” he added.