Colne’s long trip to Workington on Saturday ended in defeat in a game filled with high drama. The Reds finished the game with ten men and fought valiantly throughout the second half against the promotion favourites.
In a lively opening period, it was Colne who did most of the attacking forcing a series of corners in the first ten minutes. After only three minutes, Tom Lent’s 20 yard shot brought a great save from home keeper Jim Atkinson to push the ball round the post. And Atkinson was again in action punching the ball away from Tom Dean’s head in a crowded goalmouth.
As Workington came more into the game, the Colne defence was tested with some quick counterattacks and needed to make a series of good clearances from their penalty area. But on the half hour, Colne keeper Hakan Burton was caught out as his clearance was blocked and in the ensuing scramble, he brought down Reuben Jerome in his area to give away a penalty and receive a red card.
Substitute keeper Danny Thorpe replaced Burton in goal but was unable to keep out the spot kick taken by Dave Symington which gave Workington the lead.
The home side pressed forward threatening a second goal as Kyle Harrison shot just wide and Paul Dugdale and Kingsley Williams cleared dangerous crosses from the goalmouth before Thorpe showed safe hands to hold shots by Brad Carroll and Conor Tinnion on his line. And on the stroke of half time, Thorpe was well positioned to save a point blank header by Steve Rigg and ensure that Colne went in just one goal behind at the interval.
Early in the second half, Colne looked to have steadied the ship but on the hour a 30 yard shot by Carroll clipped the top of the Reds crossbar past Thorpe’s outstretched fingers.
Ten minutes later at the other end, a stray backpass gave Ethan Sutcliffe a half chance but keeper Atkinson was out quickly to clear the ball off his toes. And on 78 minutes, Danny Edwards had claims for a penalty waved aside as he went down under challenge in the Workington area on a through ball from Oli Roberts.
But in the closing stages Workington stepped up the pressure with a series of strong attacks and as Colne defended doggedly, Thorpe made a series of great saves to keep the ball out of his net in a crowded goalmouth. With three minutes left on the clock, Workington made the points safe as Carroll forced home the ball from close range to spark celebrations from the home side having been run close by the ten men of Colne.
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