Last updated 16:37, Monday, 15 September 2008

Workington 2 Solihull Moors 1: Gareth Arnison scored his first goals of the season to fire Workington Reds to victory in what had been billed as a must-win game.

Well done, pal: Gareth Arnison is mobbed by team-mates after putting Reds ahead

A group of clubs are perceived to be those who will be scrapping throughout the season to fight clear of the bottom eight and Solihull are one of them.

So, too, are Redditch - who left Borough Park with all three points last week - and rock bottom Hucknall Town who host the Reds on Saturday.

Seven or nine points would have been the initial targets for manager Darren Edmondson and his team from three successive league games, so there’s still work to be done in Nottinghamshire at the weekend.

Saturday’s performance was encouraging, though, particularly in the first-half when Workington could have been handier-placed than 1-0 ahead.

In the final analysis, though, a gifted goal for Solihull to give them hope and a sending-off for skipper Graham Anthony left Reds with an edgy last 15 minutes to negotiate before the win was completed.

There are still areas of the side which will give Edmondson continued food for thought but he may be close to the strike partnership he has been seeking as the spark between Arnison and Jonny Wright was promising.

Both are locally-based and the pair have a good record of goal-scoring throughout their careers. There were signs against Solihull that they can gel as a pair and produce the kind of partnership that is so vital to a team’s progress.

It’s not the usual Little and Large duo, so popular with managers, and at first glance they may look much of a muchness, similar in appearance and style, but there’s definite promise starting to emerge.

Michael Reed, Matthew Berkeley and Tony Nicholson all offered Edmondson something different last season but they’ve gone, and although Reds appear to be short on fire-power numbers the fitness of Messrs Arnison and Wright could be crucial to Reds’ progress.

The opening goal on 25 minutes was an example of what, hopefully, we can expect in the months ahead.

Anthony chipped in a free kick from the right-hand side; Wright won it in the air and his header back across goal was powerfully planted into the top corner by Arnison’s forehead. It was a splendid goal.

Wright shot just wide and then should have done better when presented with a strike on goal from close in but only succeeded in putting it straight at goalkeeper Daniel Crane.

Apart from the goal, the nearest Reds came to scoring in the first-half was when Dan Kirkup climbed well to reach an Anthony corner and his header was cleared off the line by Peter Faulds.

Workington had the better of the exchanges in the first period, playing some smooth stuff along the way but there were one or two anxious moments at the back.

Solihull were dangerous from left wing crosses or corners and on a couple of occasions Workington had to defend frantically in their own box, while Adam Collin eventually claimed crosses hung up under his bar.

The Reds made the perfect start to the second-half with a goal in the first minute, superbly finished by Arnison.

Anthony threaded through the pass and the young striker was forced wide as he went round Crane. With the keeper continuing to jockey him, Arnison cut back onto his right foot and with at least two defenders haring back to cover on the line he thumped a great shot into the top corner.

Interestingly former manager Tommy Cassidy thought that Arnison though needed to work on certain aspects of his game, he was the best finisher at the club.

Workington looked comfortable with a two-goal cushion even if they didn’t produce much in the way of flowing football which had been so encouraging earlier in proceedings.

But the game changed on 61 minutes when Solihull were gifted a route back into the contest.

A long ball down field should have been sorted but hesitancy and uncertainty between Collin and Kyle May ended in a mix-up which allowed Marcus Palmer to nip-in and collect before tapping in.

When skipper Anthony was shown a straight red card on 75 minutes for using an elbow in a challenge with substitute Junior English, the alarm bells were ringing.

But despite some late pressure from the Moors and one clear chance which was lifted over by Darren Middleton, Reds defended grittily to see them through to three welcome points.

MATCH FACTS

Reds: Collin, Hewson, Rowntree, May, Kirkup, Vipond, Anthony, Hopper, J. Wright (Robinson 87), Arnison (Johnston 80), A. Wright. Subs (not used) McLuckie, Edmondson, Hardman.

STAR MAN: Gareth Arnison – Two very good goals but plenty of promise in his general contribution to the side, and the partnership with Jonny Wright looks promising – and could be crucial.

Referee: Kevin Mattocks

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