Injury worry as Reds new boy Gray limps off

By John Walsh

Last updated 12:18, Wednesday, 16 July 2008

Whitehaven Amateurs 0 Workington 3: Workington Reds new signing Kevin Gray limped out of their 3-0 win at Northern League new-boys Whitehaven Amateurs last night.

Kevin Gray

The veteran defender dropped in agony in the Whitehaven penalty area after only five minutes when he tried to get on the end of a corner.

After several minutes delay he limped-off, his night’s work over.

He suffered a knee injury in the awkward way he landed and may be forced to sit-out this weekend’s double header in the Annan tournament.

The win was Reds’ second of pre-season – eight goals in the bag and none conceded – and it’s been a satisfactory start for the Blue Square North side but boss Darren Edmondson knows there will be tougher tests ahead.

Both teams tried to play the ball around on the excellent County Ground surface but there were few real opportunities to test the keepers as the final delivery was often wayward or wanting.

The deadlock was broken on half-time when Phil McLuckie put in a good cross from the right and Anthony Wright headed over goalkeeper Craig Routledge.

Whitehaven made nine changes in the second-half, and Reds who had already replaced Gray with Lee Andrews, introduced seven new faces. Mally Holliday, one of the few to do 90 minutes, was busy and industrious for the Amateurs and from his cross Craig Robson wasn’t far away from heading home.

But the Reds had more of the territory although they did not double their lead until the 73rd minute when Tony Hopper headed on a left wing corner for Jonny Wright to score.

Wright had a hand in the third five minutes from time when his low pull-back from the left eluded goalkeeper Jack Fryer and Dan Robinson fired into an empty net.

Robinson had two other efforts

Whitehaven, neat and tidy with their football but unable to find a cutting edge, almost got a consolation three minutes from the end.

David Dustin fired in a fierce shot from 15 yards which Adam Collin did well to block at full stretch.

Whitehaven: Routledge, K. Holliday, Lilly, Law, Lewis, M. Holliday, Dixon, Connolly, R. Fowler, Hewitt, Priestley. Second-half subs – Fryer, B. Fowler, Collins, Smith, Shaw, McGrady, Donald, Robson, Dustin.

Workington: Collin, A. Gray, May, K. Gray (Andrews 5), Rowntree, McLuckie, Anthony, Rudd, A. Wright, Johnston, J. Wright. Second-half subs: Hewson, Edmondson, Gullen, Earl, Hopper, Robinson, Reed.