A comfortable 3-0 victory over relegation-threatened, Mickleover, has left Workington in touching distance of safety as the Northern Premier League season draws to a close.
They finished the day with 46 points after completing a league double against the Derbyshire outfit and, with only five games left, are on course to maintain their Step 3 status.
On the other hand, Mickleover are running out of time, are 10 points adrift and languish next to bottom, apparently fighting a lost cause.
Both teams deserve credit for turning out in atrocious conditions with horizontal rain and a bitterly cold win spoiling the entertainment.
And, on a day when the three points were more important than the performance, Mark Fell got both from his side.
“I thought we managed the conditions really well. I have not seen a game like that in a long time and it was so difficult for the players, particularly the two goalkeepers.
“But we rolled our sleeves-up today and found a way to win, fairly comfortably in the end, and it’s a big three points for us.”
Reds were ahead at the interval thanks to a well-crafted goal in the 35th minute.
Jamie Allen’s pass released Josh Galloway down the left and the latter danced past his marker, Kwaku Donkor, before delivering a teasing low cross into the danger area. Tom Stephenson timed his run perfectly and diverted the ball past Yusuf Mersin.
Skipper David Symington was influential throughout and emerged as Reds’ man-of-the-match. His low left foot drive deserved a goal but rebounded off the post.
He did get on the score sheet, though, albeit via a 74th minute penalty. Jordan Little had been fouled by Curtis Weston in the area and Symington blasted home the subsequent spot-kick.
And it was Symington’s sublime assist, floated towards the far post, which led to Reds’ third of the afternoon.
Connor Pani was there to direct his header past Mersin to secure the victory with his fourth goal for the club, ten minutes from time.
“The fact that we’ve made the progress that we have, I think, is fantastic work. We have bettered last season’s points tally with five games to go in what is a tougher division,” added the Workington manager.
