Carlisle City 3-1 Workington AFC

Recap

Cumberland Cup 24/25 2024/25

Gillford ParkCA1 3AF, Carlisle, Cumberland, England, United Kingdom

Carlisle City
Petteril Bank Road Carlisle CA1 3AF
Workington AFC
Workington Cumbria CA14 2DT
Preview

Recap

Cup holders Workington found themselves dumped out of the competition for the second time this season following a poor showing against a motivated City at Gillford Park.

Mark Fell started just five of the team that excelled in the victory over Matlock Town, against a Sky Blues outfit who included several former Workington players in their ranks.  Included for his Reds’ debut was Joe Abrahart, a former Blyth Spartans defender who has joined the club on a trial basis.

And despite introducing three more recognised ‘first teamers’ at the start of the second half, Reds failed to unsettle City who emerged worthy winners.

Workington had slipped out of the competition in the previous round, following a penalty shoot-out loss to Whitehaven, but were reinstated when the West Lancashire League club were found to have played an ineligible player.

But they spurned the reprieve with a frustrating, well below par performance and the Northern League team will fancy their chances of going on to lift the trophy.

City’s evergreen skipper, Josh Simpson, headed his team into a seventeenth minute advantage, meeting Keelan Leslie’s corner to guide the ball home unchallenged.  It was a deserved lead.

Reds responded with a fine Ruben Grewal shot which was acrobatically touched over the bar by City ‘keeper, Scot Simons.

And City doubled their advantage on the half hour mark when Callum Birdsall was given time and space in the area before a scuffed shot ‘nutmegged’ Danny Eccles.

Without playing well, Workington were unlucky not to find a way into the game ten minutes before the interval.  Kai Nugent’s superb shot from distance flew past Simons but rebounded off the crossbar.  The ball fell conveniently for Lucas Wane but he too struck the woodwork and the opportunity was lost.

The hosts should have had a penalty just before the interval when Abrahart tangled with Jordan Irving inside the area but the officials ignored City’s justified appeals.

Reds introduced three substitutes before the restart with Messrs Ambrose, Symington and Stephenson replacing the unfortunate trio of teenagers – Christian, McCarron and Wane.

And for the first time in the game City were put under a bit of pressure defensively.  Steven Rigg’s shot on the turn was deflected wide and Dav Symington sent another effort narrowly past the post.

Grewal did reduce the arrears, after sixty-four minutes, with a decent strike from the edge of the area and the travelling supporters could have been forgiven for thinking that it might spark a revival.

It didn’t and City restored their two-goal advantage five minutes later.  Eccles was nudged as a cross came in from the right, he flapped at the ball which then hit Kieron Blair and rolled into the vacant net.

City were untroubled thereafter and they managed the final ten minutes with ease, progressing to the semi-final a little more comfortably than they probably expected.

Carlisle City: Simons, Kelly (Olsen, 74), Leslie, Lightfoot (Swailes, 72), Josh Simpson, Smith, Mahone, Park, Birdsall (Kerr, 85), Irving (Williamson, 90), Blair.  Substitute – Mitchinson (not used).

Workington: Eccles, Clarke, Abrahart, Christian (Ambrose, 46), Little, Barnes, McCarron (Symington, 46), Grewal, Rigg (McDonough, 75), Nugent, Wane (Stephenson, 46).

Referee: Scott Taylor, Carlisle

Bookings: Blair, Birdsall (Carlisle City)

Attendance: 245

 

Details

Date Time League Season
21 January 2025 19:45 Cumberland Cup 24/25 2024/25

Ground

Gillford Park

CA1 3AF, Carlisle, Cumberland, England, United Kingdom

Carlisle City

1Scott Simons Goalkeeper
2Jay Kelly 12 Defender
3Keelan Leslie Defender
4Liam Lightfoot 15 Midfielder
5Josh Simpson Defender 17'
6Sam Smith Defender
7Tom Mahone Midfielder
8Romeo Park Midfielder
9Callum Birdsall 16 Forward 30'
10Jordan Irving 17 Forward
11Keiron Blair Forward 69'
12Kieron Olsen 2 Defender
14Lewis Mitchinson Forward
15Ryan Swailes 4 Midfielder
16Keighran Kerr 9 Forward
17Michael Williamson 10 Forward
  3 2

Workington

1Danny Eccles Goalkeeper
2Matty Clarke Defender
3Joseph Abrahart Defender
4Sam Christian 12 Midfielder
5Jordan Little Defender
6Charlie Barnes Defender
7Ben McCarron 14 Forward
8Ruben Grewal Midfielder 64'
9Steven Rigg 15 Forward
10Kai Nugent Midfielder
11Lucas Wane 16 Midfielder
12Efe Ambrose 4 Defender
14David Symington 7 Midfielder
15Alfie McDonough 9 Forward
16Tom Stephenson 11 Midfielder
  1