Workington Reds Ladies booked themselves a place in the semi-final of the Cumberland Women’s County Cup after a dominant performance against the Development side from Penrith.
It finished 2-0 to the West Cumbrians after Penrith had started sprightly andapplied early pressure through keen pressing.
A lapse in concentration from the Reds back line gave Penrith a good chance to go ahead early in the game but fortunately for the visitors, the hosts were unable to take advantage.
The Reds went ahead in the 17th minute when the ball was moved efficiently on the right and played back to the supporting right back, Eleanor McDonald.
She then found striker, Liv Bennett in a good attacking position inside the area. Bennett managed to turn and square the defender before finding Chloe Henderson who fired home.
Unfortunately for the Reds, shortly after her part in the opening goal McDonald was forced to leave the field after a crunching tackle had left her requiring treatment. Sophie Birkett came on and she slotted in seamlessly.
As the game grew, so did the composure of the visitors and foundations laid in the midfield from Linzi Donaldson and Keeley Holliday enabled the more advanced player to build repeated attacks.
Sophie Birkett and Emi Rudd were linking well on the right, as too were Hannah Fawkes and Morgan McGrady on the left and both pairs looked to find Bennett and Henderson through the middle.
Good chances built from structured football fell to McGrady, Bennet and Rudd, all of whom were unlucky not to have found the back of the net before the break.
Just before the break, Holiday was also forced to leave the pitch after she sustained an injury from another heavy challenge. Sadly she was unable to return to the action and Hannah Ridgewell came on to replace her and adding her own stamp on the game.
The second half saw the visitors applying plenty of pressure in advanced areas but chances were squandered and the advantage remained the single goal.
The back line of Birkett, Naomi Foster, Alice Kemp and Fawkes kept any threat on Laura Miller’s goal to speculative and from distance as the home side failed to manufacture any telling chances.
Later Reds changes saw Donaldson being replaced by Sophie Nutter, McGrady made way for Kacey Rodgers and Natalie Hooper came on at left back for Fawkes.
As the game entered the final 15 minutes, the lead was doubled after quick feet and good composure from Nutter in the area. She shifted and drove at the back line and managed to get her shot away as she was brought down from a strong challenge.
It looked a more than fair claim for a penalty to be awarded, but the claim was declined and sadly Nutter had to painfully leave the field of play.
In the meantime, the ball had ricocheted to Henderson on the edge of the area. She pulled the trigger and the ensuing deflected strike bounced before passing over the keeper in to the back of the net.
The Reds persisted in their pursuit of more goals in an attempt to make the scoreline more reflective of their efforts on the day. Unfortunately, they were unable to add any more and the Henderson brace was enough to claim their place in the next round.
The Reds are away again this weekend, their eighth game in a row away from home, as they face Blackpool in the Argyle Sports Kit Plate tie.
