Macclesfield snatched a dramatic 91st minute winner just as Workington looked like applying the first shut-out of the season against the Silkmen.
The League leaders had scored in every previous games and with the 90 minutes up it seemed as though battling Reds were going to keep a clean sheet.
But a lovely, deep cross from Neil Kengni found substitute Luke Duffy arriving late to hammer home from close range.
Up to that point Workington had defended heroically against the high flying visitors, who had shuffled the pack in the second-half with tactical changes which paid off.
It was a tough finale for Mark Fell’s team who had matched their opponents for long spells even though Macclesfield saw more of the ball.
Workington had a particularly good spell going into the last 20 minutes when the outstanding Steven Rigg hit a post with a clever shot on the turn and the near-thousand crowd really got behind them.
Matty Clarke shot narrowly wide and Rigg just didn’t get leverage into his effort when he failed with a lobbed chance only finding the waiting arms of keeper Max Dearnley.
Macclesfield had gone closest in the first half which they had shaded. Dominating possession Tre Pemberton was always a threat down the right and one cross beat home keeper Alex Mitchell but came back off the bar.
Another Pemberton cross was met at full stretch by Danny Elliot but he shot over the top and there was a goal-line clearance amongst a flurry of Macclesfield corners.
The save of the game was made by Mitchell late in the game when Duffy looked a certain scorer but the home keeper spread himself to make the block.
Once again the spirit showed by a young Workington side against much more experienced players was particularly encouraging for the Reds fans in the 988 crowd.
Rigg was very good again – and earned a commendation from Macclesfield manager Robbie Savage – while the back four, particularly Steven Swinglehurst and Josh Galloway, was solid and effective.
It was a bad one to take for manager Fell who had gone into the game seeing it as a free hit, but it proved more than that as Reds went toe-to-toe with the League’s big spenders.
Home manager Fell was proud of his side’s effort and thought they had done enough to earn a point. “Football can be a cruel game, especially when it’s decided so late,” he said.
Robbie Savage, the Macclesfield boss said: “That was a great team effort and it was our changes in the second-half which made the difference.”
To hear what Mark Fell had to say you can listen below:
