Match report by Chris Hudson
“We need to beat teams like this if we’re serious about challenging for promotion.” So said frustrated boss Rob Smith after seeing AFC Telford United held to their third goalless draw of the season on their own patch.
He had a point, too. Workington were dogged, determined and workmanlike – they defended with commitment and no little skill.
They will doubtless frustrate numerous sides over the next few months, but it’s hard to escape the conclusion that Telford could, and should, have done better.
Smith and his side could easily point to the fickle hand of fate working against them once again. The Bucks chief admitted in Thursday’s fans’ forum that luck had been on their side last season but seemed to have deserted them this time around.
In the previous stalemates this season, against Alfreton and Fleetwood, he could point to missed penalties by Terry Fearns that proved so crucial in the final reckoning.
This time, it was the referee’s failure to even award a penalty in the first place that was a major talking point.
Liam Blakeman, asked for the second game running to play on the right of midfield, made his intentions clear as he set off on a jinking run before going down under the challenge of clumsy defender Lee Andrews inside three minutes.
In the stands and on the field, the reaction of everyone in white-and-black was as one as they appealed vociferously for a spot kick.
Stone official Mr Rushton was not interested, though, turning his back on the incident in the first of many puzzling judgments from the Staffordshire man throughout the afternoon.
Smith, to his credit, did not seek to hide behind that moment as an excuse for what came after – correctly pointing out that his side had another 87 minutes to make the breakthrough.
That they rarely threatened to do so was troubling, especially as they actually produced some attractive passing football in the first 25 minutes that seemed to suggest it was a question of when, not if, the goal would come.
But, as has been the story so often in the last two months, they let themselves down with the final ball – quality lacking just when it was needed the most.
Workington keeper Adam Collin had a far easier afternoon than he might have anticipated.
Telford’s only threat in the first period came with shots from 20-yards or more out, Lee Moore and Jon Adams twice chancing their arm without finding the target.
Inches over
It was actually the visitors who went closest, and Tony Hopper will know he should have headed under the crossbar rather than inches over five minutes before the break.
The second half didn’t offer a big improvement, with all the drama there was packed into a hectic last 15 minutes or so that at least shook the crowd from their slumber.
For all their failings up to that point, Telford will know they created enough chances late on to win the game comfortably – and are doubtless still wondering how some of them went begging.
Fearns should have registered on 81 minutes when set up by neat play from substitute Martyn Naylor and Blakeman but, just eight-yards out, could only hit the base of the post as he tried to guide the ball into the bottom corner.
Into injury-time, and an unchallenged Indy Khela headed over off a Naylor free-kick.
Up the other end, Workington tried to play Phil McLuckie through but he succeeded only in colliding with keeper Ryan Young as he stretched to get to the ball first.
There was a lengthy delay as both men received treatment, but there was still time for Steve Jagielka to have a shot blocked and Fearns to crash a spectacular volley over the bar right at the death.
It was a fourth straight 0-0 for Workington in all competitions. They will be a lot happier with this latest one than Telford.
Teams:
AFC TELFORD UNITED: Young, Vaughan, Khela, Cowan, Charlton (Naylor 78), Moore, Adams (Jagielka 78), Vermiglio, Blakeman, Fearns, Brown (Stevens 78). Subs not used: Rodgers, Nwadike. Booked: Vermiglio (45) – foul, Khela (61) – foul on Anthony Wright.
WORKINGTON: Collin, Hewson, Rowntree, May, Andrews, McLuckie (Kirkup 90+4), Vipond, Hopper, Robinson (Hardman 86), Arnison, Wright. Subs not used: Wright, Edmondson. Booked: Rowntree (88) – time-wasting, Vipond (90) – foul on Vaughan.
REFEREE: C Rushton (Stone).
ATTENDANCE: 1,753 (including 13 from Workington).
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