Reds boss Edmo pleased with five-goal workout

Last updated 13:00, Monday, 14 July 2008

Workington Reds 5 Gretna 0: Workington opened their pre-season programme with a 5-0 home win over the newly-formed Gretna side at Borough Park.

Reds' keeper Adam Collin stops a shot from Gretna’s Ross Johnston while Kevin Gray provides the back up

There were some familiar faces in the opposition line-up as the 18-strong squad contained ten players who had been with the successful Reds reserves team last season.

Neat and tidy young players, they started brightly enough but, once Workington had taken the lead on 11 minutes, there was no doubting the Reds’ extra strength, experience and football know-how would carry the day.

Reds boss Darren Edmondson said: “It was a good work-out and at this stage of our preparations it’s about giving field time to as many players as possible.

“We still have Michael Reed, who was on holiday and Gari Rowntree, who was at a family wedding, to come into the squad and I expect that they will be available for Tuesday.”

Reds will play at Whitehaven Amateurs in their second friendly before talking-on Annan next Saturday on the first day of Athletic’s four team tournament.

For Gretna-born-and-bred Stuart Rome it was an emotional day to be in charge of a side which had risen from the ashes of the club which lost its place in the Scottish League.

He said: “It was just great after what we’ve been through to get a team out on the pitch representing Gretna.

“We only found out on Thursday that we had a League to play in and really I wasn’t over concerned that we lost. We have time to re-group and sort ourselves out before the League starts on August 9.”

Gretna have been admitted to the First Division of the East of Scotland League and will be playing the likes of Gala Fairydean, Hawick Royal Albert and Kelso.

Although Adam Collin was the first goalkeeper into action he had no problem in clutching a right-wing corner when Gretna forced the early pace.

But it was Workington who gradually started to assert and they went in front on 11 minutes. Craig Johnston and Jonny Wright linked with headers inside the Gretna box and found Andrew Hardman who held off keeper Stuart Pettit to turn and fire in the opener.

Jonny Wright was looking particularly sharp and fit and he laid on Workington’s second goal after 17 minutes with a strong run through the inside right channel, to link with Hardman and a clever rolled pass to Johnston was finished clinically by the Reds stalwart.

Wright had a hand in the third on 21 minutes – albeit unwittingly. He showed great control in the area to take a ball on his chest and the quick swivel that followed wrong-footed the Gretna defence.

But the shot was a poor one and was going well wide until it struck unfortunate defender Curtis Wood and flew beyond Pettit into the empty net. Pettit saved well from both Wright and Johnston as Workington pushed for further goals before the break.

Gretna, as they had in the first started the second-half in lively fashion and a good cross-field move ended with Dan Rayson firing over the bar from a good position.

But it was Workington – who had made eight changes at half-time – who increased their lead on 64 minutes.

One of those substitutes Dan Gullen laid the ball into the edge of the area for Johnston. A cleverly weighted return ball saw Gullen darting through to fire past Gretna’s substitute keeper John Jamieson.

Gretna were starting to ring the changes now and one of the new arrivals Dan Carmichael fired over the top when given a shooting opportunity after one of Gretna’s best moves of the match.

Johnston made it 5-0 for Reds after some good work by new recruit Dan Robinson.

He closed down a Gretna defender and gained possession before squaring accurately for Johnston to pick his spot and slide home his second.

Johnston thought he had grabbed his hat-trick four minutes from the end after a clever turn and shot but the ‘goal’ was chalked off for offside.

Johnston, looking slimmer and fitter than last season, caught the eye for Reds along with Lee Andrews, new boy Robinson, Jonny Wright and Anthony Wright.

Workington: Collin, Hewson, Andrews, May, Edmondson, McLuckie, Anthony, Earl, J. Wright, Hardman, C. Johnston. Subs (all used) – A. Gray, K. Gray, Robinson, Gullen, Kirkup, A. Wright, Hopper, Rudd.

Gretna: Pettit, R. Johnston, Wood, Jardine, Dicker, Burgess, Renyard, Rayson, Nicholson, Seggie, Mulligan. Subs (all used) Carmichael, McMoth, Reay, Roberts, Johnstone, Jamieson, Harrison.

Referee: Mr C. Backhouse