Workington dropped two home points when they were held to a 1-1 draw by bottom side Ramsbottom.
The Reds didn’t help their cause by missing one penalty and having a second one saved, while the visitors earned their point from the penalty spot.
Afterwards manager Danny Grainger accepted blame for selecting the wrong side and changing the shape of his line-up.
“I thought it was a good time to freshen us up with three changes, one of them forced, and looked at a different formation. I’m afraid it didn’t work and I take the blame.
“We had enough opportunities to win the game and there was plenty of effort but we lacked a bit of quality when it was needed.
“Credit to Ramsbottom they came with a game plan and stuck to it but no disrespect to them but we should be beating them.
“It doesn’t matter that Leek won and Macclesfield drew. We have to look after our own performances and results and we didn’t on this occasion,” he said.
Hero on the night was young goalkeeper Tom Wooster, who won’t be 18 until next month and has just signed on loan from Manchester United. He signed his first professional contract last year.
He produced an outstanding save early on to deny in-form Scott Allison and throughout the game handled confidently, saving his best work to the end.
When Reds were awarded a second penalty in the last minute of stoppage time he went down well to keep out Lewis Reilly’s spot kick and when the home striker got on the end of the rebound with a header Wooster was down smartly again to turn it round the post.
Wooster had also guessed correctly when Allison took Reds first penalty in first half stoppage time. He went the right way but the penalty was wide of the target.
The breakthrough goal came on 52 minutes when a shot from inside the area from Reilly was deflected towards the top corner.
Wooster did really well to stretch and claw away but straight to Steve Rigg who from a tight angle headed home.
It had been a bitty performance from Reds before that as they were far from their best and in complete contrast to recent display.
Within two minutes Rammy were level. The tricky Henry Ogunby was fouled inside the area near the by-line and from the penalty spot Mike Fitzgerald sent Jim Atkinson the wrong way.
Ramsbottom had a couple of opportunities late on but an attempted lob from Ramdy McNair was easily taken by Atkinson and then the keeper used his leg to block a cross shot from Tony Donaldson.
Reds had plenty of pressure in stoppage time but couldn’t find a way through – even when they had a final chance from the penalty spot.
