Workington Reds lost their unbeaten record at Warrington Rylands last night when they went down 2-1.
But the game itself was a credit to both team and the N{PL West as they had to contend with torrential rain for the first 35 minutes and still served up a gripping contest.
Then when it had stopped raining the second-half proved to be a real cracker as Reds almost came back from a two goal deficit to snatch what would have been a deserved point.
Skipper Conor Tinnion, who produced another outstanding performance, hit the underside of the bar from 25 yards but the ball dropped tantalisingly the wrong side of the line.
Home keeper Graeme McCall did well to block an angled drive from Tinnion and there were a couple of goalmouth scrambles when Rylands defenders put bodies on the line and made one goal-line clearance.
Rylands had two good opportunities in the first chance as Kane Drummond shot just over from a good position and then when through on goal was denied by a fine block by keeper Jim Atkinson.
Workington’s best effort came from Iyrwah Gooden when he got up to a right wing cross from Matty Clarke but saw his header turned over the bar by McCall.
Two goals inside three minutes, both from rare slack defending by the Reds, gave Rylands the incentive they needed to win the game.
The first on 62 minutes saw the lively substitute Callum Dolan get round the outside on the left and his pull back was a good one for Owen Robinson to slide home from close-in.
Then great work by right-back Declan Walker, powering forward to win the ball just over halfway, saw him send Drummond clear and the winger rounded Atkinson before firing home from a narrow angle.
Reds response was excellent and they produced some of their best football of recent weeks to reduce the arrears and go close to salvaging the game.
A fine curling cross into the box from Conor Gaul was touched home by Steven Rigg to set-up a series of raids on the home goal which didn’t quite get the reward they deserved.
Manager Chris Willcock said: “I can’t faulty the lads. If we hadn’t conceded so soon again after the first goal I am sure we would have gone on and won it.
“There have been times recently when we haven’t been at out best yet have got something out of the game. This was the opposite because it’s the best we have played for a week or two yet had nothing to show for it.
“We all know the situation we are in with injuries. It was good to see Ruben (Jerome) and Brad (Carroll) back but they are not 100 per cent fit yet and hopefully we will get some more minutes out of them on Saturday when we have assessed everybody.”