Workington are still waiting for their first win over old rivals Warrington Rylands, having to settle for another home draw.
In five meetings now they have drawn all three at home, while losing the two away games.
Actually Rylands would probably go home feeling they had done enough to win this one – yet in the end a superb double save from keeper Luke Pilling late in the game earned them the point.
It was his first real involvement in the game but he did superbly to block a strong shot at close range from Dav Symington and did even better to stick out a leg and divert a goal-bound follow-up from Steven Rigg.
The fact that Reds did not work Pilling enough in the game, and the way they conceded their goal, were the main negatives for Mark Fell whose side had started well on the front foot for the opening 20 minutes.
But gradually, as Reds failed to test Pilling or create any serious openings, Rylands came more into the game and should have been ahead by half-time.
James Baillie headed just over and then had a fierce angled drive turned away at full stretch by the diving Alex Mitchell.
Ben Hardcastle hit a post and Mitchell did really well to turn over a close range header from Ntumba Massanka, so that Reds were pleased to hear the half-time whistle.
Yet within two minutes of the re-start the home side had taken the lead. A deep corner from Dav Symington, over all the heads, saw Steve Swinglehurst at the far post scramble it home ahead of a defender.
Not the prettiest of goals, but they all count, and it was a vital lead for Mark Fell’s side after what had gone on earlier.
But on 67 minutes Rylands were level. Again it was the long ball over the top which found-out the Reds. Massanka broke clear in pursuit, steadied and finished past Mitchell like the experienced striker he is.
Luke Morris had curled one effort beyond Mitchell and off the far post before that equaliser, and then Massanka couldn’t connect with his head when he tried to get on the end of a fiercely drive cross.
But it was Reds who could have sealed it late on but for Pilling’s double save – so their search for that elusive first win over Rylands goes on.
You can hear what Mark Fell thought of the game by listening here…
