Workington Reds have title in sights

Brad Carroll celebrates at the final whistle (Ben Challis)

Workington Reds are entering the final straight to their season and a run-in that could lead to their first title in over 20 years.

Three of their last six games are in the next eight days and will have a significant bearing on the outcome of the NPL West championship.

Tomorrow Reds host Colne, who have been revitalised under new manager Jon Macken, currently lying eighth in the league’s form table.

They have won three and drawn one of their last six games, scoring eight and conceding just three.

Indeed they won three in a row before drawing 0-0 at City of Liverpool and losing narrowly 1-0 against Leek Town last week.

In fact, Colne are just one place below Reds in the form table. Three wins, two draws and a defeat haven’t particularly helped Reds’ title push – scoring just five goals in those six games, although just conceding two.

Reds’ record is virtually identical to Marine, with their goal differential the same but six for, three against.

The big difference in the promotion race is the current form of leaders Warrington Rylands who have won their last six games. They are four points clear of the Reds but have played two more games.

They have a much superior goal difference to the Reds so the Cumbrians have to win both games in hand, and for good measure beat Rylands a week tomorrow.

One of the games in hand is on Tuesday night when Reds visit Bootle for a fixture that has twice been postponed.

The Merseysiders are tenth in the form table with three wins and three defeats from their last six games.

In many ways, this is the defining week of Reds’ season. They have to regain winning ways after disappointing 0-0 draws and two scrambled late wins in their recent four games.

Fans could play huge part

The club is hoping the fans can play their part in pushing Reds to three home victories in the remaining games at Borough Park.

Borough Park attendances have topped 1,000 for the last two games there and a similar figure should be attainable with so much at stake.

The Warrington game should take care of itself – a Saturday afternoon virtual title shoot-out, while Kendal Town is on Easter Monday and the final home game of the season.

Chairman Dave Bowden: “Attendances have been great. We said at the start of the season it was our target to reach 1,000 fans for a home game.

“We’ve done that twice in a row now and the next target is to retain and build on that figure in the three games that remain. We want the fans to help us over the line.”

Reds do have an apparent ace in the hole. If they can regain the league leader’s position going into the last two matches they will be odds on favourites to see it through.

For they finish with Kendal Town at home and then Market Drayton away – both clubs already relegated and firmly at the bottom of the latest form table without a point between them.

But the fourth game on Reds’ final run-in is certainly no gimme as they visit third in the table Marine on April 16.

So much to play for in the next three weeks without the need to drag on for a month.

The rivals’ fixtures are: Warrington Rylands – April 2, Runcorn Linnets (H); April 9, Workington (A); April 18, Northwich (A); April 23, Bootle (H).

Marine – April 2, Widnes (A); April 9, Colne (A); April 16, Workington (H); April 18, Bootle (A); April 23, Leek Town (H).