Workington stretched their unbeaten run to three games with a hard-fought 2-0 home win over Basford United last night.
It was important to back up Saturday’s away win at Mickleover with another victory at Borough Park and their little burst of favourable results has seen them move nearer the play-offs than the drop zone.
Next up on Saturday are leaders Macclesfield, who visit Borough Park chastened by a 2-1 defeat last night – their first of the season – at Mickleover.
Manager Mark Fell regards that as a free hit, but he might just fancy there’s a chance of following up on the table-toppers surprise reversal at one of the sides who needed that win to jump clear of the relegation zone.
Reds were busy, industrious and workmanlike throughout against Basford, who had left Nottingham at 1.30pm for the long trip to West Cumbria.
That has to be the approach when hosting long-distance travellers and Reds zest and exuberance of youth saw them have the better of a goal less first half.
Sam Hetherington had been closest to opening the scoring with a well-struck shot which rattled the underside of the bar.
The opening goal came on 49 minutes – after a remarkable goal-line clearance by Reds.
Tyler Dacres and Kacy Butterfield had opened up the home defence for the first time and when they seem top have done enough to score somehow the two full-backs Josh Galloway and Matty Clarke appeared to scramble at full stretch on the goal-line and between them cleared the danger.
When play swept to the other end the ball dropped on the edge of the area to Jamie Allen and he fired a low shot past Saul Deeney and just inside the post for the opening goal.
The second came on 58 minutes and this time it was Steven Rigg on the edge of the area who took a pass in stride before hammering a shot home.
It probably caught the back of a Basford defender to help the loop over Deeney but it will go down as Rigg’s 15th goal of the season.
Basford had their moments in the last 15 minutes but Workington defended heroically, with several brave blocks inside their area denying the visitors.
Jake Allan had his best game for the Reds in midfield and Steven Swinglehurst was impeccable at the back while everywhere you looked Workington players were united in the cause – fighting for everything.
