Late penalty denies FC United victory over Workington
An 89th minute penalty from Workington left FC United frustrated to come away from Broadhurst Park with a point in a 2-2 draw on Saturday afternoon.
Goals from Jordan Buckley and Adam Le Fondre gave the Reds the lead for almost an hour, which looked to be just enough to shade victory, but Steven Rigg fired in a late equaliser from the spot.
It was a fair result on the balance of play. Rigg had headed the visitors in front after seven minutes, but the Reds quickly bounced back as Buckley cleverly flicked home a goalbound effort 10 minutes later to make it 1-1.
Just after the half hour mark, Buckley pressed goalkeeper Alex Mitchell into a mistake, which Gez Sithole latched onto and squared to Le Fondre. The former Premier League star curled the ball into the top left corner from 20 yards out to make it 2-1.
The game, United’s first at home since the 5-0 Fenix Trophy win against Prague Raptors, saw both Theo Farquharson and fan favourite Josh Galloway return to the club, with captain Charlie Ennis being presented with a complimentary shirt to reward him on 200 appearances for the club, achieved last time out in our 2-1 win against Leek Town.
The game started well for FC, with shouts for an FC penalty waved away in the second minute, just before Buckley fired wide of the goal. However, this United pressure would not last for long, as after Munro fouled Workington captain Rigg in the fifth minute, Nugent swung the ball into the FC penalty area for Rigg to head home beyond an outstretched O’Keefe to put Workington 1-0 up.
FC responded to this well, with Workington blocking shots from both Munro and Le Fondre, before United’s breakthrough finally came in the 16th minute. The ball was played towards goal from United, with Buckley sticking out a foot to divert it beyond a scrambling Mitchell in the Workington goal, drawing the scores level again at 1-1.
FC went close to adding a second just five minutes later, after Sithole played the ball to Ferguson, before his cross-cum-shot was gathered by Mitchell. Soon after, FC did grab the crucial second goal, with United’s attackers doing some excellent work to win the ball back, before Le Fondre’s stunning effort from 20 yards out evaded Workington’s keeper and left many of the 1,711 attending the game, celebrating.
However, the job wasn’t done there, with Workington starting to pile on the pressure. A mix up in United’s penalty area in the 34th lead to a Workington corner, with a fine save from O’Keefe needed to keep United’s lead. Some excellent work down the right hand side from United followed, with Le Fondre’s attempt inching past the wood work.
Emerging from the tunnel for the second half, and both sets of players encountered a nervy start to the second half, with neither side being able to build any sustained periods of possession. Mcloughlin tried a ball over the top for United but ended up in the hands of Mitchell, which proved to be his final act of the game, being taken off for Lindley in the 55th minute.
Sithole proceeded to get tripped while through on goal just a few minutes later, however despite calls from United fans for more, a yellow card was brandished to FC returnee Farquharson, with the free-kick amounting to little for FC, still hunting that third goal.
Workington quickly came back down the other end with FC scrambling a promising Workington attack away for a corner, with O’Keefe handling such corner well to result in a goal kick for the reds.
Manager Mark Beesley decided more action was needed shortly after, bringing on Hall for captain Ennis, before making a triple substitution in the 72nd minute, introducing Navaro, Preston and Fitzmartin for Grivosti, La Fondre and Sithole.
However, Workington continued to pile the pressure on, and in the 88th minute, Allen was brought down in the penalty area. After a moment of hesitation, the referee pointed to the spot, with Rigg converting to tie the game at 2-2.
Despite four minutes of added time, FC failed to respond, and the game finished 2-2. This result leaves FC United in 21st, while Workington remain 15th in the table.
Match report by Daniel Atkinson
Late penalty denies FC United victory over Workington
An 89th minute penalty from Workington left FC United frustrated to come away from Broadhurst Park with a point in a 2-2 draw on Saturday afternoon.
Goals from Jordan Buckley and Adam Le Fondre gave the Reds the lead for almost an hour, which looked to be just enough to shade victory, but Steven Rigg fired in a late equaliser from the spot.
It was a fair result on the balance of play. Rigg had headed the visitors in front after seven minutes, but the Reds quickly bounced back as Buckley cleverly flicked home a goalbound effort 10 minutes later to make it 1-1.
Just after the half hour mark, Buckley pressed goalkeeper Alex Mitchell into a mistake, which Gez Sithole latched onto and squared to Le Fondre. The former Premier League star curled the ball into the top left corner from 20 yards out to make it 2-1.
The game, United’s first at home since the 5-0 Fenix Trophy win against Prague Raptors, saw both Theo Farquharson and fan favourite Josh Galloway return to the club, with captain Charlie Ennis being presented with a complimentary shirt to reward him on 200 appearances for the club, achieved last time out in our 2-1 win against Leek Town.
The game started well for FC, with shouts for an FC penalty waved away in the second minute, just before Buckley fired wide of the goal. However, this United pressure would not last for long, as after Munro fouled Workington captain Rigg in the fifth minute, Nugent swung the ball into the FC penalty area for Rigg to head home beyond an outstretched O’Keefe to put Workington 1-0 up.
FC responded to this well, with Workington blocking shots from both Munro and Le Fondre, before United’s breakthrough finally came in the 16th minute. The ball was played towards goal from United, with Buckley sticking out a foot to divert it beyond a scrambling Mitchell in the Workington goal, drawing the scores level again at 1-1.
FC went close to adding a second just five minutes later, after Sithole played the ball to Ferguson, before his cross-cum-shot was gathered by Mitchell. Soon after, FC did grab the crucial second goal, with United’s attackers doing some excellent work to win the ball back, before Le Fondre’s stunning effort from 20 yards out evaded Workington’s keeper and left many of the 1,711 attending the game, celebrating.
However, the job wasn’t done there, with Workington starting to pile on the pressure. A mix up in United’s penalty area in the 34th lead to a Workington corner, with a fine save from O’Keefe needed to keep United’s lead. Some excellent work down the right hand side from United followed, with Le Fondre’s attempt inching past the wood work.
Emerging from the tunnel for the second half, and both sets of players encountered a nervy start to the second half, with neither side being able to build any sustained periods of possession. Mcloughlin tried a ball over the top for United but ended up in the hands of Mitchell, which proved to be his final act of the game, being taken off for Lindley in the 55th minute.
Sithole proceeded to get tripped while through on goal just a few minutes later, however despite calls from United fans for more, a yellow card was brandished to FC returnee Farquharson, with the free-kick amounting to little for FC, still hunting that third goal.
Workington quickly came back down the other end with FC scrambling a promising Workington attack away for a corner, with O’Keefe handling such corner well to result in a goal kick for the reds.
Manager Mark Beesley decided more action was needed shortly after, bringing on Hall for captain Ennis, before making a triple substitution in the 72nd minute, introducing Navaro, Preston and Fitzmartin for Grivosti, La Fondre and Sithole.
However, Workington continued to pile the pressure on, and in the 88th minute, Allen was brought down in the penalty area. After a moment of hesitation, the referee pointed to the spot, with Rigg converting to tie the game at 2-2.
Despite four minutes of added time, FC failed to respond, and the game finished 2-2. This result leaves FC United in 21st, while Workington remain 15th in the table.
Match report by Daniel Atkinson
