Reds battle it out for single point

By John Walsh

Last updated 11:59, Monday, 14 April 2008

Workington Reds 1 Solihull Moors 1: Workington had the opportunities to put this game beyond their visitors but had to settle for a draw in a low-key Blue Square North contest.

Wright on: Reds celebrate the equaliser from Anthony Wright’s deflected shot

Solihull are still not mathematically safe from the drop but should be able to scramble the four points they need at the moment to hold off Hucknall Town.

Reds, by contrast, are now officially safe because of their much superior goal difference. Even if they don’t get another point and Hucknall win their last three games, barring some bizarre scorelines, they will be playing Blue Square North football again next season.

But manager Darren Edmondson wants his team to finish the season with a flourish and has been expressing concerns about the home performances.

They entertain Burscough on Tuesday night and a week later host Worcester to bring the curtain down on the campaign.

Edmondson said: “The two away games take care of themselves because we play at Kettering on Saturday and Harrogate in the last game. Kettering could be presented with the championship trophy, which should ensure a big crowd while Harrogate are still battling for a promotion play-off place.

“That gives us a lot of incentive to go there and show them what a decent team we are and how well we can play. We’ve been doing that in most away games and I just want to see us show something of that form, in the last two games at Borough Park as well.”

Reds could have been a goal to the good inside five minutes when Dan Kirkup, from close range, smacked a header against the Solihull bar with goalkeeper Daniel Crane beaten.

Rather sadly for Kirkup it was his error in defence which led to Solihull snatching a surprise lead on 16 minutes.

His back-header was short and Jason Moore, a lively attacker throughout for Solihull, latched onto it and forced the ball round Adam Collin before slotting into an unguarded net.

But Workington should have been level before half-time as they missed two excellent opportunities to score.

First it was Anthony Wright who got on the end of a Dave Hewson cross which deceived the Solihull central defenders but from close in headed straight into the arms of Crane.

Then it was Hewson, set free down the right, who saw Crane advancing and tried to slip the ball round him only for the keeper to stretch out an arm and deflect it to safety. Fortunately Workington levelled five minutes after the restart and they had a little bit of luck on their side. Anthony Wright’s shot from just inside the area took a deflection beyond Crane and into the bottom corner.

Both sides went all-out for a winner but the pitch was churning up after some heavy showers and the football wasn’t of the quality that either manager would have enjoyed.

Solihull’s best effort came from the lively Darren Middleton down the left and a smart, low pull-back seemed set-up for the sliding figure of Daniel Davidson until Gari Rowntree got enough on the ball to deflect it for a corner. Workington substitute Tony Nicholson saw a stooping header pluck out of the air by Crane as it looped towards the top corner.

But it was fellow sub Matthew Berkeley who had the opportunity to win the game. His angled shot from ten yards was spectacularly turned round for a corner by Crane.

Reds: Collin, Andrews, Rowntree, May, Kirkup, Hewson (Nicholson 69), Anthony, Hopper, Reed (Berkeley 80), J. Wright (Johnston 85), A. Wright. Subs (not used), Gray, Taylor.

Crowd: 301 Referee: Darren Bond