Workington’s grip on the Fred Conway County Cup ended after two years last night with a dramatic penalty shootout defeat to Whitehaven.
After the West Lancashire League side had seen their two-goal lead cancelled out to take the tie into extra-time they grabbed the advantage again with a third goal at the end of the first period.
Then with virtually the last kick of the second half – in the 120th minute of an absorbing second round tie – Workington snatched another equaliser to set up the spot kick decider.
In keeping with the game, the penalties ebbed and flowed and when Kai Nugent fired over from his side’s fifth spot kick with the chance to win the tie, it went to sudden death.
Carl Denver and Keenan Mackay, both substitutes during the game, knocked home their penalties and in between new recruit Ruben Grewal was on target for Reds.
But when Ben McCarron stepped up for Workington’s seventh penalty, Whitehaven keeper Tom Fowler became his side’s hero as he made his third save to win the tie for his side.
It had been a well contested cup-tie with two young sides trying to play the game the right way.
Whitehaven had made a flying start with a goal on seven minutes. A deep free kick was met by the unmarked Lewis Tiddy and his header beat Danny Eccles to find the bottom corner.
The visitors offered more goal threat than their hosts and Kian Goulding’s run from deep, and shot from the edge of the area, was well saved by Eccles.
Fowler had no such problems behind a sound defence in which Tidy, a former Workington player, was a calm and authoritative figure.
The visitors doubled their lead right on half time and Goulding was involved again with a powerful shot on the run which Eccles got to but couldn’t hold and Aidan Smith was there to hammer in the loose ball.
In the second half, though, it was Workington who looked the sharper, more dangerous side and within 11 minutes they had pulled one back.
A slick, one-touch move from deep ended with McCarron producing a clinical finish and it was game-on.
Fowler made a couple of good saves; Tidy and his fellow defenders had top work harder than they had in the first half and any Whitehaven threats were on the break.
The Workington equaliser came in the 78th minute when former Wigan midfielder Grewal scored from close range.
In extra time Denver was close to a third with a smart low drive but Eccles produced a great save to get there late and turn it round the post.
However in the final minute of the first period Whitehaven went in front again when Goulding fired in a shot which seemed to bounce over Eccles outstretched arms to find the net.
They looked to have won it but in the very last minute of the second period of extra-time Owen Johnston arrived late at the far post and a looping shot cleared everyone to find the opposite corner.
However it was Whitehaven who won the penalty shootout to complete a double over the Reds having won the Shaun Hocking Memorial Trophy in their annual pre-season friendly.
