Workington 1 – Marine 0
Workington will be involved in another top versus second clash on Monday after winning their latest match with Marine.
Clitheroe are the latest leaders and they will host the Reds in the Bank Holiday clash which will be the NPL West’s match of the day.
Reds produced their least impressive performance in three games against Marine in eight days but managed to record the win.
A draw and a Marine victory in the FA Cup replay had preceded this League clash as the sides met for the third time in eight days.
In the end they looked two tired and drained sides, probably thankful that they don’t meet up again until later in the season.
Winning manager Chris Willcock said: “It was a bitty game, lacking in real quality but I will take the win because I don’t think we got what we deserved in the two FA Cup games.
“It was a game of few chances so it was a lift that we scored so early and it proved to be the winner.”
The only goal of the game came after four minutes. Matty Clarke’s run down the right produced a good low cross which Scott Allison missed completely with a fresh air shot. But it ran loose to Iyrwah Gooden and his returned ball into the box found the unmarked Brad Carroll who scored from close range.
Goal-scoring opportunities were few and far between for both sides as both defences were on top throughout but there was a chance for Marine late in the half.
David Raven had stayed forward from a cleared free-kick and when the ball was put back in he turned sharply but scuffed a shot from close-in straight at keeper Jim Atkinson.
Marine enjoyed most of the possession in the opening 20 minutes of the second-half but never seriously tested Atkinson.
The best move of the half came from the hosts when Brad Hubbold released Clarke and his pull-back would have left Allison with a tap-in but James Devine got there ahead of him to hack clear.
