Workington v Warrington Rylands – Big game preview
By Garry Clarke
TOP of the table Warrington Rylands face their biggest game of the season on Saturday when they travel up to Cumbria to play their closest challengers 2nd place Workington.
Winning 4-0 on Tuesday at Bootle the Cumbrians closed the gap to just one point with a game in hand, which will be played on Easter Saturday at Marine who themselves have an outside chance of snatching the title.
However, for Rylands the task remains the same – win all three remaining games and claim the title.
Not that that will be an easy task as season long title favourites Workington are unbeaten in their last six games, 4 of which have been wins, leaving them sitting just below Rylands, who are unbeaten in 9 games (8 straight wins) in the form table as well as the league table.
The two team’s respective league records going into the game are:
P W D L GF GA GD PTS POS
Rylands 33 25 5 5 91 35 56 80 1
Workington 34 24 7 3 67 23 44 79 2Workington have the second best home record in the division, behind Rylands, their league record at home this season is:
P W D L
17 12 3 2While Rylands away record is:
P W D L
17 10 4 3
A supporters coach has been booked for the game- contact the club via face book or twitter for further details – as all support needed with Workington being the second best supported team in the NPL West attracting average crowds of 677.
Their highest home attendance so far this season is 1,117 for the recent visit of Widnes, a game which they lost 0-1. The lowest attendance at Borough Park is 301 for the visit of Bootle in December.
As their first season in the Northern Premier League reaches its conclusion Warrington Rylands have three league games to play after Saturday:
Monday 18th April away v 1874 Northwich
Saturday 23rd April home v Bootle
Both games kick off at 3pm.
FLASH BACK TO WHEN THE REDS VISITED GORSEY LANE
When Workington visited Gorsey Lane in October for the first ever meeting between the two sides it was them who occupied top spot in the NPL West, however Rylands this season have developed a habit of beating opponents who have been top of the table.
And with strong wind driving heavy rain down the pitch this was no exception, as Rylands defeated Workington 2-1 to inflict a first league defeat of the season on Workington.
Two goals within three second half minutes proved decisive.
Just after the hour mark Callum Dolan slide the ball inside to Owen Robinson who hit the ball first time to slot it past a helpless goalkeeper to give the Blues the lead. Three minutes later, Declan Walker won the ball in midfield, his precision pass found KaneDrummond who skipped around the goalkeeper to fire into an empty net.
Workington struck back five minutes later, a cross from the right wing found Steven Rigg unmarked at the far post where he headed home from close range to set a tense nervy final twenty minutes in which Workington bombarded the Rylands goal, however Rylands held firm with bodies thrown in the way of goal bound shots, balls cleared off the line, great saves by the keeper, for a deserved three points in the bag.
