Lilywhites lose out to Workington

NPL North West: Workington 2-0 Mossley

Workington can thank their greater experience and a little good fortune for their 2-0 win over Mossley at Borough Park on Saturday.

It was another difficult challenge for the young Lilywhites side and another big learning curve as the Lilywhites, despite matching the hosts for much of the game conceded two goals from set pieces that proved their undoing.

Workington's tactics at times looked bizarre as they played out from the back with something akin to over confidence, which almost backfired on them several times in the opening half, before then playing long balls forward with ex Buxton and Ramsbottom striker Reuben Jerome the obvious target.

A couple of times Mossley were able to intercept passes deep in Workington territory and one incident in particular should have seen Mossley awarded a penalty, when, after Keogh had won the ball Danny McLaughlin was about to shoot before his legs were taken away by a badly timed tackle only for the referee to inexplicably award a free kick to Workington instead.

The hosts took the lead on 24 minutes. The referee awarded Workington a soft free kick in a dangerous area and though the first effort was blocked the ball was played back into the danger area where Scott Allison turned the ball home from what Mossley defenders claimed was an off-side position while also claiming a hand ball in the build up.

The Lilywhites struggled to create meaningful chances in the second half and had Liam Lovell to thanks for a couple of fantastic saves. However, Lovell could do nothing about the decisive second goal. Workington were awarded yet another another 'soft' free kick (for there were several). Substitute David Symington lined it up 25 yards out and his effort took a deflection off the Mossley wall to end in the top corner of Lovell's goal.

Mossley tried hard to find a way back into the game but it wasn't to be as the Lilywhites fell to third successive League defeat.