Last updated 16:34, Tuesday, 05 August 2008

This was a tale of one Cumbrian team pushing on with pace and style while another stumbled lethargically in the rough direction of the starting line.

Friendly, v Workington, August 5: United trialist Ashley Robinson (Crystal Palace), goes past Reds' Anthony Wright

• Slideshow: photos from the game

From Workington Reds, this was a bright performance in a 3-1 win on their home ground to launch them towards a new Conference North campaign.

From Carlisle United, preparing for League One combat in four days’ time, it was a backward stagger into the Derwent.

The horror tales that may already have seeped out of West Cumbria about the poverty of United’s performance can be believed. A team comprised of first team aspirants and the odd established Brunton Park name were taken convincingly to the cleaners by a Reds collective who offered all the evening’s spark and ambition.

Damningly, 12 of Darren Edmondson’s 16-man squad last night had once been on the payroll at Carlisle, from the manager himself – a genuine United star in the 1990s – to the more recent discards such as Dan Kirkup, who met all his defensive challenges last night with towering strength.

For every Workington display of wit and purpose – how Graham Anthony appeared to revel in the midfield dispute against his former employers – there was a Carlisle man dipping so far beneath the expected standard that he was barely visible.

Positives? Not in blue. United’s two trialists, the right-back Tyrone Cameron and the noticeably out-of-shape winger Ashley-Paul Robinson, were so at odds with the game’s combative nature that they were withdrawn by John Ward at half-time.

And what does it say about the established faces in this XI that the interval replacements, the inexperienced Shaun Vipond and the youth team full-back Jonny Blake, were perhaps Carlisle’s most progressive players in a second half which saw token improvement on the dismal opening 45 minutes?

Reds’ own performance, however, deserves to be praised without qualification. The pace and movement of their front two, Jonny Wright and Dan Robinson, was splendid to watch. Likewise the clipped passes of the wily Anthony and the persistence of Dave Hewson, who gave Darren Campion umpteen awkward moments in the early stages.

Michael Bridges’ first goal for Carlisle since his return to the club ought to have been one for modest celebration. But no bunting can be hung out for an 83rd minute consolation penalty, after an individual performance which had the former Premiership man starting in midfield, then moving out to the left in pursuit of absent sharpness, but which saw him comfortably dealt with on most occasions by Edmondson’s men.

Not once from United was there even an authentic stab the kind of penetration Reds achieved as early as the second minute, when Anthony found Tony Hopper with an excellent ball on the left of the area. The midfielder’s low cross reached Hewson at the far post, and he finished off a simple goal.

After a deceptively threatening United corner, when Danny Graham drew a save from Adam Collin, Workington sliced Carlisle open once more. Hewson drove past Jeff Smith down the right, served Jonny Wright in the centre, and the forward finished with clinical style.

Robinson and Anthony both threatened for Reds, and after United’s Luke Joyce had a far post finish ruled out for offside, it was three.

Anthony fed Robinson with a perfect pass and the striker slotted past Chris Howarth. This, again, was the midfield creativity and urgency that was eluding blue-shirted players such as Joyce and Smith.

From Carlisle, there were occasional attacking bursts, but certainly no quality around the box against their non-league hosts. After Robinson had rattled the United bar early in the second half, the Blues finally tested Collin again – this time, implausibly, it came from the centre-circle, when Graham heaved a quick free-kick towards goal. The Workington ‘keeper successfully backtracked and tipped over, leaving Graham without a goal from United’s pre-season programme.

Back came the home side again. Josh Gowling blocked a Robinson volley, then young Blake headed off the line after Howarth had failed to claim an inswinging corner. Finally, after a rash of substitutions, there were nominal cheers for United.

A passing move of rare conviction down the right ended with Vipond crossing for Gary Madine and when Kyle May was penalised for pulling the big teenager back, Bridges stroked the spot-kick past Collin.

For United, the goal was of little value. It certainly didn’t stain Workington’s night, nor did it damage the all-round performances of the likes of Lee Andrews and Gari Rowntree – both excellent in the disciplined Reds back four.

From Ward, post-match, there was a perfectly reasonable reminder that no points are handed out for winning pre-season engagements, but no attempt to avoid the truth about his team’s sluggishness, both here and at Morecambe on Saturday when a likelier starting XI was also put to the sword.

Quite the best the Carlisle manager could say about this chastening night is that it may have kicked complacency right out of his troops before meaningful battle begins. If that turns out to be the case, then Workington can take great satisfaction from the way they applied the boot.

MATCH FACTS
Reds: Collin, Andrews, Rowntree, May, Kirkup, Hewson (Gullen 77), Anthony (Rudd 70), Hopper (Earl 77), J Wright (Hardman 70), Robinson, A Wright. Subs: Edmondson.

Goals: Hewson 2, J Wright 6, Robinson 24.

United: Howarth, Cameron (Blake 46), Campion, Gowling, Wordsworth, J Smith, Joyce, Robinson (Vipond 46), Bridges, Carlton, Graham (Madine 66). Subs: Mitchell, Cook, Aldred, Duffy.

Goal: Bridges 83 (pen).

Ref: S Duncan.