An injury and suspension hit Hednesford Town would return from Workington with nothing to show for their efforts – despite going in ahead at halftime.
Under the guidance of caretaker manager Francino Francis the Pitmen were without no less than six first team players – leading to a substitutes bench featuring four teenagers and 41-year-old goalkeeper in Jose Veiga.
The home side thought they had gone ahead in the eighth minute when Pitmen goalkeeper Josef Bursik spilled a low Scott Allison effort through his legs but he managed to claim the ball on the line.
Workington went close again in the 15th minute only for Nathan Fox to clear the ball off the line after Bursik had managed to block the initial shot.
Hednesford ought to have gone ahead a minute later when Dan Cockerline worked hard down the right and his cross picked out Michael Howard who saw his shot somehow turned over the crossbar from three yards out.
It would be the home side who would take the lead in the 21st minute though, when a low shot was blocked on the edge of the box but Conor Tinnion was able to sweep the ball home past Bursik.
Hednesford levelled in the 37th minute though when left-wing back Nathan Fox broke forward and fired in an effort from 20 yards which defeated the keeper and found the back of the net via the post.
Right on the stroke of halftime the Pitmen took the lead when defender Sam Griffiths rose highest from a corner to head home from six yards out.
HT: 1-2
Five minutes into the second half Hednesford again went close when Howard broke forward but his shot was palmed away by goalkeeper Aaron Taylor.
Workington finally equalised 11 minutes into the second half though when the ball wasn’t cleared inside the penalty area and defender Gari Rowntree was able to drill low into the corner from the edge of the penalty area.
The home side then retook the lead in the 59th minute when Allison held up a long ball forward before turning his man and firing low into the bottom corner of the net past Bursik.
Hednesford now threw caution to the wind as they looked to bring the scores level again, however they failed to really test the hosts’ back line – with a Howard shot blocked behind for a corner being the closest they would come.
It would be the home side that would wrap up the points though with six minutes to go when a whipped cross into the box from the left was turned into the net by Jordan Holt from six yards out.
The Pitmen should really have reduced the arrears in the third minute of stoppage time when Howard broke clear but his effort was saved with Charlie Drain seeing his follow up shot saved.
Workington AFC: Taylor, Smith, Rowntree, Wordsworth (Mellon 59), Calvert (May 46), Cowperthwaite (Hubbold 69), Maguire, Holt, Walker, Allison, Tinnion
Subs not used: Joel, Paterson
Hednesford Town: Bursik, McNally, Fox, Gatter, Misambo (Martin 63), Griffiths, Curley, Hallahan, Cockerline, Howard, Abadaki (Drain 78)
Subs not used: Veiga, Clarke, Turner
Attendance: 301
