Workington completed their 38th campaign of Northern Premier League football with a best win of the season, sending their supporters into the summer break on a high.
They emerged 5-1 winners against Ashton United, scoring five times against the Robins at Borough Park for the second successive season.
And from relegation candidates just before Easter, Reds finished 12th in the Premier Division after overcoming Steve Cunningham’s side, who quickly have to rediscover their form ahead of the play-offs.
Both teams fielded makeshift XIs and that meant a full debut for Workington teenager, Alfie McDonough.
Still three months short of his 17th birthday, the young striker, a product of the Development Squad, emerged as Reds’ man of the match, scoring a goal in each half.
He headed Workington in front after fourteen minutes, leaping high to meet Josh Galloway’s cross from the right and steer the ball past Connor Eastham.
The Ashton ‘keeper was beaten by another header ten minutes later when Connor Pani met Efe Ambrose’s long throw to double Reds’ lead, with the sixth goal of his productive loan spell.
Ashton, who finished the regular season in 5th position, were back in contention six minutes before half time when Donald Chimalilo cashed in on some slack defending to give his side a glimmer of hope.
But Ashton, who introduced four of their senior players from the bench at half time, conceded again two minutes after the restart and their comeback aspirations were dashed.
McDonough was on hand to calmly slot his second from eight yards after David Symington and Steven Rigg appeared to get in each other’s way before the ball broke kindly for the youngster.
Galloway then netted his first goal for the club after Symington had done the spadework and created the opportunity. That made it 4-1 after 51 minutes and Ashton looked shell-shocked!
And scorer Galloway turned provider by providing the perfect lobbed pass to Bruce Strachan who headed home unchallenged at the far post for Workington’s fifth ten minutes from time.
Interim managerial duo, Billy Redden and Brian Dawson, had guided the club to a couple of crucial wins and steadied the ship following Mark Fell’s surprise departure two weeks ago.
“Overall, we are really happy with the result, the performance and the amount of chances we created. And two wins out of the last three games is a great way to end the season and I’m so pleased for the players and everyone associated with the club,” said a delighted Dawson.
