The race for the NPL West title is still in Workington’s hands after they drew 1-1 with main rivals Warrington Rylands at Borough Park.
It turned out a hard-fought draw but probably not the classic first versus second that everyone was hoping for, if not fully expecting.
The crowd of 1,180 still found it an interesting and absorbing contest between the League’s top scorers and it’s meanest defence.
In the end, a draw was probably a fair result, a reflection on the merits of two good footballing sides.
Warrington will probably feel that they had done enough to snatch the win which would have put them firmly in the driving seat for the championship and automatic promotion.
But on 82 minutes full-back Matty Clarke produced an absolute stunner of an equaliser, thumping one into the top corner from 25 yards which gave keeper Graeme McCall no chance.
McCall, generally, was given solid cover by his central defenders with Richard Smith particularly dominant in the air and a key figure.
The Rylands keeper and captain had one serious save to make in the whole game and it was a terrific stop on 34 minutes to palm away a close range effort from Nico Evangelinos after he got on the end of a cross from Dav Symington.
Rylands profited from that by taking the lead two minutes before the interval. Andrew Scarisbrick found too much space out on the right and a pinpoint cross was headed in by the unmarked Scott Bakkor.
Workington’s keeper Jim Atkinson twice saved his side to deny top-scorer Kane Drummond in the second-half and with Ceiran Casson outstanding in midfield for the hosts they saw plenty of the ball in the closing stages but couldn’t dislodge Smith and co.
Reds had gone into the game without three key players in Kyle Harrison, Sam Smith and Brad Hubbold while a fourth, Connor Gaul, had been involved for the last time on Tuesday as he has taken up a two year contract to play in New Zealand.
It meant losing the influential Brad Carroll to play centre-back while Symington filled in for Harrison at right back.
Perhaps if they had been able to send out the side which won at Bootle it might have made a difference but Clark’s sensational equaliser means that Reds are still in control of their own destiny.
A win at third-placed Marine next Saturday will make them strong odds-on favourites to lift the title with two games left.
