Despite a solid team performance Workington Reds Ladies went down 2-0 at home to an in-form Blackpool Ladies side.
The visitors went into the game unbeaten in their last seven league games.
Most of the first half was played in the middle of the park as both defensive units rebuffed their opponents attacking advances.
Blackpool were looking to release their forward line led by the lively Molly Kelly, through diagonal balls into the space out wide from central positions.
Meanwhile the Reds looked to use their width in similar fashion to capitalise on the home side’s pacy attacking duo of Kacey Rodgers and Morgan McGrady.
In testament to both teams defensive duties, chances were hard to come by with speculative balls played into the area and shots from distance being the most common outcome of any pressure being applied.
It therefore came as no surprise that centre back, Naomi Foster was selected as the Reds Player of the Game and Goalkeeper, Laura Miller picked up the match day sponsors award from M&I Travel.
The game was finely balanced with the half-time break looming and it looked like the teams would go in level.
However, in the 42nd minute, a Blackpool attack just inside the area on the left saw contact being made from a home defender. The ref was left with little option but to award the spot kick which April Oldfield stepped up to convert despite a valiant effort from Miller.
The second half followed a similar pattern to the first as the arm wrestle continued. The Ladies looked to be building better periods of pressure as the half developed as they searched for an equalising goal, but the Blackpool defenders stood firm.
The game was harshly settled in the dying minutes as Blackpool doubled their lead when the ball fell to Lauren Oatley about 25 yards out.
In an identical fashion to her strike against the Reds in the League Cup earlier in the season, Oatley instinctively set herself and let fly to find the far top corner leaving Miller helpless.
Afterwards manager Paul Mackenzie said: “Blackpool are a very good side and there’s undoubtedly a level of quality about the way they play. A total of 26 league points separated the two sides before we kicked off today but, I didn’t see 26 points worth of difference between the side on the park this afternoon. I thought we dug extremely deep and gave them very little over the 90 minutes.
“I couldn’t be more pleased with the Ladies attitude towards the game. They were given a different formation to work with today, which they took it on board and managed to deliver many elements of it.
“We will now look to this coming weekend’s game at home to Penrith as we enter our last two games of the season.”
Team: Laura Miller, Sophie Birkett, Alice Kemp, Naomi Foster, Linzi Donaldson, Natalie Hooper, Hannah Fawkes, Sophie Douglas, Chloe Henderson, Morgan McGrady, Keeley Holliday, Sydney Bragg, Zara Sandelands, Issy Sunley.
