In a repeat of last season’s corresponding fixture, Workington took a point from the league’s draw specialists in wet and wild conditions at Lancaster’s Giant Axe ground.
And a point apiece was a fair outcome after City had the better of the first half and Reds came more into the picture after the break.
“We were not as combative as I wanted us to be in the first half and they were the better team for the first 45 minutes,” said manager Mark Fell, on his first return to the club he managed for nearly five years.
“But, as was the case at Warrington the previous week, we were much better after the interval and were good value for our point by the finish.”
The conditions played a part in this game of two halves with City enjoying territorial dominance in the first half and Reds enjoying their best spell in the second.
City won numerous corners in the first half but clear-cut chances were few and far between.
Alex Mitchell did make one crucial save to thwart Lewis Coulton but Aaron Bennett and Lewis Mansell wasted two other openings.
Reds’ best move of the half saw Josh Galloway and Jamie Allen link well down the right but the latter’s delivery across the face of goal just eluded Steven Rigg.
The opening goal arrived 10 minutes before the interval and Christian Sloan was City’s scorer. Reds had blocked two attempts in quick succession but couldn’t prevent a firm low strike from finding the bottom left-hand corner of Mitchell’s net.
Reds won their first corner soon after the restart but Aiden Dowling dealt with the cross unchallenged. But, from their next flag kick, Jordan Little saw his goal-bound header tipped over the bar by the City keeper.
When the hosts got forward in their next attack, Charlie Bailey squandered a good opportunity when it looked easier to score.
Reds restored parity after seventy-two minutes with a well worked goal. The ball was switched from left to right with Galloway making ground before delivering a decent cross into the area and top scorer Rigg finished confidently in front of the large travelling away support.
When Mitchell was next called upon, he made a fine save to deny Mansell.
But Workington seemed to have the momentum and were encouraged to push on for the winner by the hordes backing the West Cumbrians.
And when Kai Nugent delivered a pin-point cross from the left, it should have been the match-winning moment. It fell to Dav Symington, making a welcome return to the team after a 10-game absence, but the substitute couldn’t keep his effort under the bar, and the chance was gone.
Fell, was pleased with the team’s commitment. He said: “It was another goal for Riggy, a good point on the road and has given us a good platform to go into the Boxing Day game with confidence.
“Our support today was incredible and they got us back in the game. Hopefully, they will come in their numbers for the Morpeth Town match and help us get over 1,000 people through the turnstiles.”
Workington host Morpeth Town on Boxing Day and travel to Hebburn Town on New Year’s Day, both games kick off at 3pm.
