By Steve Durham

Last updated at 13:14, Monday, 26 July 2010

Whitley Bay 2 Workington Reds 2: Workington Reds’ boss Darren Edmondson was not too perturbed when a makeshift side lost a mid-week game at Penrith nor was he too excited when the same squad of players produced a very impressive display in the north east.

Shaun Vipond

He knows what is needed for the rigours of Conference North football and is busy re-shaping his squad for those demands with the big kick-off less than three weeks away.

With that in mind, some of these players are fighting for a place in the squad rather than the starting line-up and the majority are putting a strong case forward for inclusion.

Without seven of last season’s team, due to a combination of injuries and holidays, Reds produced a brand of carpet football that was pleasing to the eye and left an experienced Whitley Bay side distinctly second best.

Yet despite their domination of the first half, the game was still goalless at the interval and that was due to Bay’s dogged resilience and the lack of that cutting edge in Reds armoury.

Aaron Taylor saw his shot saved by Bay ‘keeper, Tom Kindley, then headed another chance wide in the opening five minutes. The same player then turned provider but both Conor Tinnion and Matty Tymon just failed to get on the end of a teasing cross. A handful of other opportunities were created and squandered in a first half in which the home side didn’t manage a shot on target.

There was more of the same after the break with Tinnion and Stephen Hindmarch watching efforts narrowly clear the bar while Kindley saved superbly to thwart Tymon. Tinnion was causing problems to Bay’s ponderous defenders but two penalty claims were ignored by referee Michael Oliver who was superb throughout.

The homeside were starting to fashion chances but Tomi Ameobi, younger brother of you know who, headed over when it looked easier to score and David Pounder’s free kick was comfortably saved by Reds’ underworked ‘keeper, Aaran Taylor.

The introduction of a plethora of substitutes coincided with four goals being scored.

Workington opened the scoring after sixty-seven minutes when Tinnion’s pass found Andy Murray-Jones in acres of space and the teenager duly converted his first goal for the club.

Tinnion’s progress towards goal was checked by Pounder and this time the referee did award a penalty. Skipper Shaun Vipond capped an influential ninety minutes by converting from the spot. That was in the 75th minute with Reds, seemingly, coasting to victory.

That all changed in the last five minutes with the Northern League outfit scoring twice in quick succession.

When Reds failed to clear a corner, Richard Goodman found space at the far post and was able to power home a header from close range.

Edmonson then swapped goalkeepers with new number one Taylor making way for debutant Lee Jolly. Within seconds, though, his first task was retrieving the ball from the net after Paul Chow equalised with a superb low shot in the 88th minute.

That was the last bit of excitement of an entertaining game which both managers will glean much from.

Reds trialists Taylor, Tymon and Alex White all made positive contributions as did Vipond, Hindmarch and Jonny Blake.

Whitley Bay: Kindley, Fawcett, Pounder, Rowe, Smith, Kerr, Ormston, Robson, Johnston, Bell, Robinson. Substitutes: McCardle, McMullen, McKennerly, Chow, Ameobi, Gibson, Goodman, Waite.

Workington: Taylor (Jolly), Vipond, White, May, Langford, Blake, Ruttledge (Colulo), Hindmarch (Main), Tymon (Jackson), Taylor (Murray-Jones), Tinnion.

Referee: Mr M Oliver, Westerhope.

First published at 11:24, Monday, 26 July 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk