Workington Reds marked their first-ever visit to Cleethorpes with a special presentation to their hosts.
Before the NPL Premier Division game Reds chairman Phil Norman presented an engraved salver to his Cleethorpes opposite number Jason Ledden.
Reds were making their first trip to that part of North East Lincolnshire since they played Grimsby Town at their Blundell Park home in a Division Four game in 1971.
Cleethorpes, who were NPL East Division champions last season, play at the HPS Plant Hire Stadium which is just over a mile from Grimsby’s stadium.
Grimsby were at home on Boxing Day so Cleethorpes were even keener than Reds to have the game put back 24 hours.
Mr Norman said: “We were well looked after by the Cleethorpes club and the only blemish on a good day was the 2-1 defeat on a very decent grass pitch.
“The return fixture will be in Workington on Easter Monday when we hope to reciprocate with a touch of Cumbrian hospitality.”
That last visit to the area, against Grimsby in the 1971/72 season finished all square at 1-1 with the return at Borough Park also ending in a draw, 0-0.
The game at Blundell Park was the third of the season and a Tommy Spratt penalty earned Reds their point with the goal=less return in early January 1972.
Grimsby went on to win the Fourth Division title with Reds finishing sixth, which then dropped to 12th the following season and they followed with four successive re-election pleas and by 1977 that was one too many.
