Recap
Who’d be a goalkeeper? Hero one minute, villain the next.
And that was the scenario at Borough Park with fate dealing Reds’ on loan goalkeeper, Jack Barrett, a moment to savour followed by late despair in a closely fought encounter at Borough Park.
He had enjoyed a quiet afternoon until the seventy-fifth minute before saving Paul Ennis’ penalty and looking to have assured his side at least a point.
Then in stoppage time, the Blackburn Rovers’ ‘keeper will feel he should have done better to prevent Matthew Grivosti’s angled shot from trickling over the line for FC United’s last gasp winner.
Workington scored a late equaliser in the earlier meeting at Broadhurst Park so, from a Manchester perspective, this was the perfect result.
It would be unfair to pin the blame entirely on Barrett with two other mitigating factors in the build-up to the goal.
But credit to the visitors for grasping their moment of fortune when, for most of the afternoon, a goalless draw looked the most likely outcome.
And the three valuable points all but guarantees FC United’s avoidance of the relegation zone for another season whilst Workington still have a bit to do to pull clear of the relegation trap door.
FC United are on a decent run of form, collecting eleven valuable points from their last six outings but Workington continue their bizarre sequence of lose two, win two, lose two, win two and lose two since the turn of the year.
Yet they played well enough to win this game although Connor Pani and Ceiran Casson failed to convert chances which fell to them following two early corners.
Then, the best move of the half saw Steven Rigg release Jamie Allen and his speed strength and trickery created a chance for the well positioned Kai Nugent. He made a sweet connection with the ball but volleyed narrowly over the bar.
Nugent hit the side netting with another effort and hardly troubled Conor O’Keefe with his one shot on target.
Grivosti had an opportunity at other end but Barrett dealt with the ball in routine fashion.
Both goalkeepers were almost redundant as the Reds of Workington and Manchester battled for supremacy. And with a quarter of an hour to go, it looked as though the stalemate would be broken.
Efe Ambrose appeared to trip Declan McLoughlin inside the area but the referee seemed to delay his decision before pointing to the spot.
FC United skipper, Ennis, struck the penalty firmly enough but Barrett blocked the ball and a covering defender sent the rebound towards the river as he completed the clearance.
But United had one final sortie forward. They disposed Workington in their own half, got the ball into the box via the flank and Grivosti’s shot on the turn caught Barrett unawares and he could only help a weak shot over the line.
It certainly wasn’t a goal-of-the-season contender but sufficient to secure FC United’s first ever win at Borough Park.
Workington: Barrett, Barnes (Clarke, 88), Fitzpatrick, Casson, Pani, Ambrose, Symington (Galloway, 74), Grewal (Jake Allan, 80), Rigg, Nugent, Jamie Allen. Substitutes – McDonough, Eccles (not used).
FC United of Manchester: O’Keefe, Grivosti, Hall, Ennis (Halford, 83), Misambo, Evans, Sithole (Palinkas, 72), Munro, Le Fondre (Hayes-Green, 90), Donohue (McLoughlin, 57), Fitzmartin (Miles, 90).
Referee: Thomas James
Attendance: 1,193