A fine performance on the road amid extreme weather conditions saw Morpeth Town earn a point at Workington at the end of an entertaining 2-2 draw in the Pitching In NPL Premier Division.
Nic Bollado and Sam Hodgson had the Highwaymen ahead twice in the game but were pegged back by David Symington and Finn Wallbank.
Morpeth made some enforced changes to the starting XI, with Michael Turner replacing injured captain Jeff Henderson in defence. Nic Bollado made his first start since a switch from Stockport County, replacing Jack Foalle who was suspended. Liam Noble missed a second consecutive game through injury.
Storms Elin and Fergus formed to make it an atrocious afternoon, weather wise, at Borough Park with intense gusts of wind bringing lashing rain.
But it wouldn’t put the Highwaymen off as they started perfectly, with the opening goal of the game on two minutes from Bollado.
The striker, who came off the bench to make his debut during Tuesday night’s loss at home to Blyth Town, started his first game for the club and looked composed, confident, and diligent on the flank.
He’d score moments into the game, scrambling home Andrew Johnson’s effort across goal to put his side ahead.
Town settled into the conditions far quicker than their hosts, who took until the 26th minute, with the wind behind them, to get a shot of note away, Kitt Nelson drilling a low effort off target.
The experienced and dangerous Symington got in behind the defence on the half-hour mark, but his shot goalwards was saved by the legs of Dan Lowson.
Six minutes later and Steven Rigg deflected a cross wide of the near post as Workington started to build up a head of steam.
Morpeth were looking composed on and off the ball and had the ball in the net on 38 minutes when a Bollado overhead kick was looping goalwards before being deflected into the back of the net. A contentious offside decision denied the Highwaymen.
With more goals looking likely in the game, and a swirling breeze cause a few chaotic moments in either box, the second half started in similar vein to the first.
The impressive Will Jenkins, with his irrepressible drive in midfield, struck a 53rd minute effort straight at keeper Danny Eccles before the hosts found a leveller on 56 minutes through Symington.
The midfielder lashed a rising drive to the near post that flew past Lowson to give his side parity. That lasted all of two minutes as Morpeth struck back almost immediately.
A long, raking ball out from the tireless Danny Barlow found Hodgson chasing in behind the Workington defence. As the keeper slipped, the striker confidently slotted past him to give his side the lead once more and register his 11th goal in league and cup.
Then came an incredibly fortunate equaliser on 69 minutes as Wallbank’s cross from the right, in the swirling breeze, went over Lowson and into the net.
Both sides traded chances, Johnson cutting inside two challenges and seeing his shot deflected wide prior to a Workington shot on the turn that forced Lowson into a smart stop.
With six minutes to go, Workington defender Joe Bunney saw a second yellow card, and then a red, before the final whistle saw Reds striker Steven Rigg also shown a second yellow. The hosts’ manager was then shown a red card too.
For the Highwaymen, this was a valued point for a good afternoon’s work. They are next in action on Tuesday night when hosting Marine at Craik Park.
WORKINGTON: Eccles, Wallbank, Bunney, Gbadebo, Brookwell, Hubbold, Symington, Devitt, Rigg, Francis, Nelson.
SUBS: Smith, Carroll, Tinnion, Allison, McCaragher.
MORPETH TOWN: Lowson (c), Robson, Reid, Jenkins, Turner, Wombwell, Bollado (Griggs 90’), Donaldson (Dowling 88’), Hodgson, Barlow, Johnson.
SUBS: Boyd.
ATT: 502
