Workington Reds’ boss Mark Fell didn’t know whether to laugh or cry after watching his side go down to a 4-2 defeat at Worksop Town.
He saw the best and worst of his team in a game of two halves against the play-off chasing Tigers.
Reds were four goals behind at the break after a shambolic first half performance but then restored a little bit of pride by turning up for the second half. It looked an unassailable lead but, within five minutes of the restart, Reds had clawed two goals back.
They were unable to pull off the impossible, though, but did restore some credit by finishing the game the way they should have started it.
Fell was frustrated after the defeat and said: “We conceded four goals from set pieces and from a defensive perspective it’s a horror show. I cannot accept that performance, it’s simply not good enough.”
Deflected goals from Liam Hughes and Joe Leesley put Town two ahead after 20 minutes and close-range tap-ins from Vaughan Redford and Jordan Burrow doubled their advantage in a one-sided first half.
Steven Rigg reduced the arrears with his 20th goal of the season just 30 seconds after the restart and Workington netted a second in the 50th minute.
Dav Symington’s free kick was met by Connor Pani who firmly headed home at the far post.
And when Kai Nugent’s cross struck the crossbar soon after, an impossible task suddenly looked feasible.
Worksop steadied the ship in the later stages, a task made easier when Reds’ Jordan Little was sent off after 76 minutes for striking Aleks Starcenko in the face. That will mean a three-match suspension for the in-form Little.
“I won’t lose any sleep over the result because other teams below us haven’t won but how can I congratulate them for a good second half performance after they had been so poor in the first,” lamented a frustrated Fell.
Reds dropped one position to 15th but could edge closer to Premier Division safety if they take advantage of successive home games over the next three weekends.
