A windswept Fibrus Community Stadium set the scene for an epic seven goal thriller on Sunday afternoon in the North West Women’s Regional League Division One North Cumbrian derby.
It was Workington Town Women who came out on top against their county rivals Penrith Ladies by 4-3.
Playing towards the Derwent, Penrith took advantage of a brisk wind in their backs and forced good early pressure.
This led to an early lead when Heather Fawkes drilled a loose ball low past the outstretched arm of keeper Laura Miller.
A deft touch then followed from Kayleigh Wharton which saw her bearing down on Miller’s goal.
However, a combination of strong recovery pressure from Niamh Morgan and a good reaction save resulted in the ball being turned behind to safety.
Their lead was doubled with a little over 10 minutes gone when a wicked delivery from the left off Wharton found Emily Mason on the back post to head home from close range.
Finding themselves two goals down so early on could have easily unsteadied the home side, however the opposite was apparent as they set about their comeback.
Chloe Little, Kirsten Donald and Cassie Donald battled hard to take control in the middle of the park and in doing so were able to release the attacking flair of Hayley Bracken, Bea Barber and Sarah Smith.
In the 23rd minute, a great show of strength saw Kirsten Donald take control as the skipper crossed the half way line before finding Barber.
A quick link to Smith followed before her deft touch released Bracken hitting a good line.
This season’s top scorer reacted with instinct, lifting the ball over keeper Brooke Reynolds and into the far corner.
Town’s second came soon after in a display of good intensity and desire. A quick-thinking Barber set the move off with a throw-in on the right.
Smith lifted the ball into the area and Cassie Donald was first to react with good energy to secure possession on the left.
The youngster composed herself before delivering a pinpoint cross into the area to find Bracken’s head who finished in the same clinical fashion.
Parity restored with a little over a quarter of the game played ensured that the healthy number of onlookers were suitably entertained.
Town’s energy and guile was causing problems and the tide had turned. Barber looked to have put the home side ahead just after the half hour mark, latching on to a pumped header forward and unleashing a fierce finish. Sadly, the goal was chalked off as a suspicion of hand ball was confirmed.
Further chances fell to Town with a brace of goal-line blocks from the visitors. A driven strike from Kirsten Donald was thwarted and was followed by a strike from sister Cassie finding the crossbar before falling to Barber, who struck for goal and was again denied on the line.
Pressure was still being applied to the home back line of Niamh Morgan, Molly Blair, Linzi Donaldson and Keeley Chatters. Morgan’s earlier season battle with Penrith’s winger Abbie Forster continued with the pair duelling with honest endeavour to cancel out each other’s intentions.
Unfortunately, Blair was forced to leave the field of play with just over five minutes of the half remaining.
This gave the opportunity for a much-welcomed return to action for Holly Redmond after an absence of 539 days, having last left the Fibrus in September 2024 with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, the scourge of far too many female footballers.
The half finished with Town buoyed by their efforts to come from two goals down and with the prospect of the wind in their favour to follow.
The second half started with the home side pushing to take the lead. A strike from Bracken was followed minutes later when Barber tested Reynolds from the edge of the area.
It came as somewhat of a surprise for some when Penrith took the lead again with just over 10 minutes of the second half gone. Good pressure from Forster saw the winger drive down the visitors left with intent before crossing to find Kerri Mallinson at the back post who converted efficiently.
Town were not perturbed by this setback and their attacking play soon resumed, initially through a Bracken headed attempt which went over the bar, and then a front post attempt from Smith which nearly capitalised on lively work from Barber down the right.
Town drew level again in the 68th minute through a strike from Barber which at least matched the quality of her earlier disallowed effort.
Chatters showed good strength to gain possession for Town on their left and find Cassie Donald.
With great vision, Donald drove a pass out wide to find Barber on the right. Barber allowed the ball to travel across her before firing a first time strike over Reynolds head at pace.
Town went ahead seven minutes later from a Smith corner on the right. The delivery was partially dealt with before Little took control centrally just outside the area.
Quick feet and sharp thinking saw the ball being fed to Cassie Donald slightly to the left and 25 yards out.
Donald shifted slightly with purpose before firing an unstoppable strike into the far top corner, adding to her already impressive collection of long-range efforts over the season so far.
A strong home bench meant that Town’s energy levels never faulted. Phased second half substitution had seen Leila Branthwaite, Tiegan Hargrave, Ella Beadsmoore and Morgan McGrady being introduced for Morgan, Donaldson, Smith and Little.
This recharge of energy levels was undoubtedly a contributing factor in the home side remaining in control over the latter stages of the game, and ensured that they held on to collect a hard fought win.
Unsurprisingly, after their honest hard fought battling throughout the game, Morgan and Forster were awarded Player of the Game by the respective coaches.
Bea Barber’s high quality and energy throughout was noted by Match Day Sponsors, members of Empire Gym as she collected their Player of the game vote.
After the game, manager Paul Mackenzie was keen to praise the collective efforts and resilience of the squad.
He said: “I thought we showed tremendous character and never lost our focus. We obviously found ourselves in a position we weren’t happy with very early on.
“The way the lasses responded was immense and it made me extremely proud of each and every one of them. Strong teams aren’t built on individuals, they are fuelled by a collective unity and I thought we showed that in abundance today.
“Having Holly back in the squad gave everyone a huge boost. She has fought extremely hard to get back and to have her positivity around us and her quality on the pitch is something that means a lot to everyone at the club.”
Looking towards the Women’s Cumberland County cup semi-final between the two sides, he added: “Obviously this result won’t have any impact on the outcome of the semi-final in two week’s time. However, we will draw off all the positives of this performance.
“It was an important game to win for sure, but we have enough experience to appreciate that the semi-final will bring fresh challenges and we need to be ready to face them.”
