[I]n the Smurfit Kappa Conway Cup Final held at Whitehaven AFC, Cumberland County Premier League champions Workington Athletic edged a narrow 3-2 win over Division One’s Cleator Moor Celtic, and Workington skipper Tom Pardini lifted Athletic’s second trophy in successive weekends.
This game was 0-0 at half time, but Workington came out in the second half with a new game plan, and Matthew Perry soon put Athletic 1-0 up, jinking into the box from the left and driving a shot past the Cleator ‘keeper. Celtic responded with a good goal scored from a free kick, and then with just ten minutes to go, went ahead when the Athletic ‘keeper spilled a saved shot which was tapped in. 2-1 to Celtic.
The clock was ticking, and Athletic were convinced they had a penalty, but this was turned down by referee Paul Best, but with 5 minutes to go, skipper Pardini scored to make it 2-2 with a superb headed goal. Then in the 90th minute, Workington plucked victory from the jaws of defeat when Kelly picked up the ball and the resulting pass was played hard and low into the Celtic box for Stu Gray to blast the ball into the back of the net for 3-2 to Athletic and the ‘double’ of League and Cup.
In Ken Glover Memorial Shield Semi Final, and having gone 2-0 down to Premier Division side Carlisle City in the first half, Division One’s Bransty Rangers pulled back two goals in the second half and a third in Extra Time to make it 2-3. The Rangers goals came from Michael Garroway, Bradley O’Pray and Ryan Cornish, and puts them in them into the final where they will meet Workington Athletic on the 13th May at the Lakes College 3G pitch, with Workington now going for the treble.
In the Smurfit Kappa Cumberland County League Premier Division in the midweek ties, Carlisle City saw off Wigton Harriers 2-1 and Silloth lost 2- 3 to Aspatria Football Club. Aspatria’s winning goals came from a Wayne Iredale brace and one for Sean Law to give the visitors all three points. The Seagull’s scorers in this hard fought derby were Adam Carr and Andrew Trestianu.
After this set back, on Saturday Silloth were back to their winning ways with a 2-4 away win at Whitehaven Miners to go fourth in what is a very tight race for the runners up spot in the League, which Silloth can still clinch.
In Division One there were two midweek matches and Cleator Moor Celtic kept their promotion hopes alive with a 2 -0 win over Bransty Rangers at home with goals from Ryan Hall and Craig Scott earning the victory. In the second match, the two basement sides met, with Whitehaven Miners Reserves losing 3 v 5 at home to Whitehaven Amateurs.