Witton Albion 2

Workington 2

TWO mistakes, one from the goalkeeper, one from the manager, cost Witton two points in a game they always looked likely to win.

Nigel Gleghorn was quick to accept responsibility for the 77th-minute mistake which gifted Graham Goulding his, and Workington's second equalizer of the match.

For the player-manager, it was a case of hero to villain. Five minutes earlier he had scored a brilliant individual goal when, surrounded by three players, he found space to shoot into the corner and put Albion 2-1 ahead.

That was his third goal in two games, following the midweek brace against Runcorn, and it says a lot for his contribution when he was also named man of the match on Saturday.

Despite the result, many fans at Wincham Park felt this was the best game they had seen all season. All four goals came in a scorching second half, warmed up by the first period's exciting end-to-end pattern.

It was only nine minutes into the second 45 that Albion took a well-deserved lead, Richie Carter blasting a shot which ricocheted in off the goalkeeper.

Workington bounced back 10 minutes later when Goulding scored the first of his double. Phil McGing's weak kick failed to clear the half-way line and Goulding rounded off the resulting move with a simple finish from close range.

Albion regained the advantage through Gleghorn's brilliance on 72 minutes, but it was his willingness to take his team forward for a killer third which resulted in their downfall.

He lost the ball in midfield and, after another move down the wing, Goulding pounced again to shoot into the corner of the net.

Goulding's prowess in front of goal made up for the anonymity of his strike partner, former Manchester City, Spurs and Liverpool forward Paul Stewart.

This was the point when Witton really did need a third goal and they went all out to get it. Charlie Boyd came close with a drive which missed the post by a whisker.

Lee Murphy also came within inches of snatching the three points with a couple of late headers, but it ended all-square.

The consolation for disappointed manager Gleghorn was that his team had managed to get back to the top of the UniBond First Division table on Saturday night.

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