Workington Reds Ladies completed a League double over Pemwortham Town Ladies when they travelled down the M6 and recorded a 2-1 win over their hosts.
They had beaten Penwortham 3-1 at Borough Park back in November.
But Penwortham started off brightly and, their eagerness to put the Reds under pressure especially in loose ball challenges saw them build good momentum.
This enabled gave the home side the upper hand early on and as a result were able to test the resolve of the Reds defences. However, their chances were generally kept to shots from distance which were collected comfortably by the Reds keeper, Laura Miller.
As the half developed the away team started to settle and this resulted in periods of pressure being applied.
A sublime cross-field ball from Holly Redmond on the left wing found the hard working Sophie Birkett on the right wing. She was able to collect and cross the ball into the Penwortham six-yard box.
Unfortunately for Reds they were unable to convert this chance but it was a sign that they had started to gain some momentum in the game.
In the 38th minute the Reds were awarded a free kick in a dangerous position on the right side of their half but it was the home side that benefitted from this as they pounced on the loose ball and quickly set out on a counter attacked.
They caught the away team short on numbers at the back. Despite the efforts of covering centre back Naomi Foster, the home side’s numerical advantage from the breakaway saw them take a deserved lead when striker Rebecca Shorrock hit home from close range.
Using the half-time break to regroup and reset, the Reds Ladies came out determined to turn the game around and to gain dominance in the game.
Ensuring that they were first to every loose ball, stronger in the tackle and winning their individual battles, the Reds started to fight back.
This determination and desire proved to be the catalyst that saw the away team’s possession grow and with that the composure in which they were able to play with.
Balls were recycled and shifted from one side of the field to the other through the midfield, while link-up play on both wings generated some good positional gains.
Solid, assertive defending from the back and some purposeful pressing on the wings to frustrate the home side all contributed.
On top of that the attacking threat up-front from the returning Hayley Bracken combined with the other qualities to galvanise a superb second half performance.
It took only five minutes for these efforts to be rewarded and after another telling run down the right wing from Birkett, the ball was recycled intelligently to find the supporting Eleanor McDonald.
Seeing the Penwortham keeper off her line, McDonald hit an absolute screamer of a shot from 40 yards out to open her goal scoring account for the Ladies, and with this superb strike, level the game.
A ball crossed in from the right found Hannah Geen at the back post but unfortunately her attempt on goal was cleared off the line.
The lively Bracken unsettled the Penwortham back line repeatedly and linked up well with the midfield three of Megan Yarnold, Sophie Douglas and Linzi Donaldson to generate some telling attacking play.
Bracken also saw one of her own efforts beat the keeper only to narrowly pass the outside of the far post.
As the game was entering its final ten minutes the Reds struck again to take a well-deserved lead.
Determined pressing on the left from Geen and Douglas saw the latter gain possession and play a safe pass back to the supporting back line who were quick to spread the play to the right.
Purposeful play down the right between McDonald and Birkett saw the ball crossed in to the area and Bracken became the provider as she moved the ball on to the supporting Geen. She shot over the Penwortham keeper to find the top right corner.
The final ten minutes were all about hard work and aggressive closing down which they did admirably.
Penwortham awarded their Player of the Game to Reds centre back and captain Naomi Foster for her determined defensive efforts through the game.
The Reds have three league games left in the North West Women’s Regional Division 1 North all of which are away from home.
They start this weekend with a derby game against Carlisle United Ladies FC, followed by Preston North End Ladies FC on the April 10 and mid-week fixture at Penrith AFC Ladies on the April 20.
