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REDS WIN - BUT AT WHAT COST? 09/12/2009
Although Workington picked-up £4,000 from Tuesday night’s FA Trophy replay against Blue Square North rivals Solihull Moors at Damson Park, it could still prove costly for the Cumbrians.
In a tie that had just about everything, Workington had five players booked and one of them - two-goal hero Gareth Arnison - sent-off for a second yellow card.
The fact they had so many booked in one game will cost Reds a fine, for the second time this season, but now three players could be suspended at the same time.
Kyle May and Phil McLuckie, who were both cautioned, have reached the punishable five bookings mark, while Arnison faces an automatic ban.
Workington will take consolation in the fact they have an opportunity to add another £5,000 to the pot in Saturday’s First Round at home to Nuneaton Town.
“It’s something we are going to have to take on the chin and weigh-up,” admitted boss Darren Edmondson. “The plus factor is we are through to the next round and have an opportunity to make further progress and cash.”
But where to start in this frenetic replay which crazily could have produced a lot more goals than the six that actually came along?
Solihull, in a lightning start, hit the woodwork on three separate occasions, Tony Caig made two brilliant stops and then came three goals in 108 seconds.
Caig just did enough to touch a fierce drive from Ryan Beswick onto the bar and the rebound should have been despatched by Jake Edwards but he headed against the top of the bar.
Then former Birmingham striker James McPike stole in to head beyond Caig but against the far post before Andy Langford hammered the ball clear.
In addition Caig got down superbly to turn away an Edwards header and then he blocked a shot from McPike almost on his line.
Reds survived and it must have been a slap in the face to Moors when they broke to take the lead on ten minutes. Skipper Jonny Wright did well to outpace Darren Campion on the right and his low pull back was calmly slotted home by Andy Hardman, who had been brought into the starting line-up.
Officially, what followed, were goals in the 11th and 12th minutes - McPike, after earlier being denied by the post and then Caig, got a bit of luck when he saw his shot from 15 yards take a deflection to fly past the Workington keeper into the top corner.
Amazingly Reds responded in an instant. Jonny Wright seemed to have mis-hit his shot from just inside the area but the diving Danny Crane got down too late as the ball seemed to trundle into the net just inside the post.
After that flurry of goals there was nothing else before half time but all the near-misses went Workington’s way.
Twice Jonny Wright powered through on the right and, after holding off desperate challenges, shot narrowly wide before seeing Crane go across and just get enough on the second effort to turn it away from goal.
Workington should have had a stonewall penalty when Hardman was hurled to the ground by Theo Streete.
At the start of the second half Solihull again came out of the traps in blistering fashion and Caig was Reds saviour again with his best stop of the night.
Edwards powered in a header from close range and Caig instinctively flung up an arm to block. Fortunately for Reds the follow-up by the Solihull striker was blazed over the bar.
The key moment probably came on 56 minutes when Arnison was held-back in the area as he raced through on goal and defender Jon Richardson was shown a straight red card.
Arnison himself took the spot kick and although Crane did get a touch he couldn’t keep it out of the bottom corner.
Yet against ten-men, and with a 3-1 lead, Workington didn’t control the game as might have been expected. Solihull forced a stream of corners and that’s when the yellow cards started to kick-in.
Hardman, Gari Rowntree, May, McLuckie and Arnison all went into the book.
It was Arnison who scored the crucial fourth goal on 80 minutes to really settle the Reds’ nerves.
He did well to dispossess home substitute Darren Stapleton and, after getting away from the right-back, went round keeper Crane before slotting home from an angle.
But his joy was short-lived. When sent on his way again, only to be flagged or offside, he kept on and fired well over the bar. He second yellow that followed meant he was to take no further part in the closing 9 minutes.
Solihull also added a twist, now it as 10 against 10, by scoring a second on 83 minutes. Big Streete moved forward to lash one in from the edge of the area as a deflection took it past Caig into the bottom corner.
It might have been really frantic for Reds if Solihull had scored in their next attack. McPike went through pursued by two Workington defenders. But, with a great opportunity to make it 4-3, he saw his shot turned behind by Caig’s outstretched leg.
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