Workington Reds earned their first NPL West win of the season with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Trafford at Borough Park.
Although Reds were hanging on at the end, after Trafford had scored in the 77th minute, an eye-catching first-half performance had set them up for the victory.
The first-half saw Reds build a two goal cushion and the home side had other opportunities to increase that advantage before the break.
Yet it took a fine double save from stand-in keeper Danny Eccles to keep the hosts ahead after their rapid opening.
Danny Grainger’s side couldn’t have had a better start, scoring after only three minutes through Reuben Jerome.
Dav Symington knocked the ball forward from his own half and the Trafford defender who was first there was hounded by Jerome. The Reds striker won possession and drove into the area before steering a fine finish across the keeper into the far bottom corner.
It was almost 2-0 three minutes later when Symington unleashed one of his powerful angled drives. The shot took a deflection and keeper Conor Robson did really well to push the ball over the bar.
But then came Eccles’ double save. When Trafford engineered their first chance the shot from close range was parried by the home keeper and when Aaron Fleming moved in to steer home the loose ball Eccles got across to smother it.
Jerome should have doubled Reds lead on 22 minutes but his touch failed him as he bore down on Robson and the Trafford keeper blocked. The ball rebounded to Conor Tinnion who was following up and his shot was palmed behind for a corner by Robson.
James Hooper, employed on the left of a midfield five, almost got his third goal in as many matches when a corner was knocked down to him on the edge but bus snap shot whistled inches wide.
There was also another chance for Trafford when a scramble resulted in Eccles having to make a sprawling save almost on his own goal line,
Generally, though, Workington moved the ball about well and deserved to score their second right on half-time.
A left wing corner found it’s way to beyond the cluster of players in front of goal but was teed-up by Niall Moran for Hooper to lift back into the box where Ekow Coker rose highest to head home.
More of the same in the second-half would have delighted the 568 crowd but for the most part it was Trafford who had the majority of the possession and Reds were forced back into their own half for large chunks of play.
Eccles tipped over one effort from Ben Finley and on several occasions Workington players made brave blocks inside their own area.
The visitors had started to look dangerous from set pieces and so it proved on 77 minutes when Thomas Bentham rose well at a right-wing corner to head home powerfully.
Fortunately Reds were able to see out the rest of the game as Trafford pressed hard and the relief from the home bench and the terraces was almost audible.
