Workington Reds 5 Ramsbottom United 1: Ramsbottom United were swept aside in dominant fashion as Workington Reds gained swift atonement for Tuesday’s disappointing defeat at Clitheroe.

Third in the table at start of play, Rammy were expected to give Reds a serious test, but it turned out to be a rather one-sided contest which had been settled by half-time.

Four goals, before the visitors had offered a serious threat, put Reds in control and although they were only able to add one more after the interval, the league leaders were still the driving force.

In truth, Ramsbottom were swept aside by the sheer exuberance of the Workington performance, and in the final analysis, Reds could have been close to double figures.

Getting off to a good start, when trying to respond to a poor show in defeat, is always important and Reds were able to get themselves in front inside six minutes.

Good work by Liam Brockbank down the left saw him link with David Symington whose low ball into the box was collected by Scott Allison. He had time to set his sights and curl in a shot at goal which keeper Tom Stewart went full length to palm away.

Brad Carroll had got himself in predator mode and he fed off the scraps by knocking home the loose ball.

Reds doubled their lead on 17 minutes.

After a spell of possession, the ball was played back to keeper Jim Atkinson who knocked it long, Allison collected just outside the Ramsbottom area, cleverly stepped inside the last defender and hammered a low left-footed shot beyond Stewart into the bottom corner.

The third followed on 28 minutes after good work down the right by Jay Kelly.

The move seemed to have broken down in midfield but Conor Tinnion won back possession in a tackle and immediately fed Charlie Bowman. From just inside the area, he thumped home a cracking shot into the corner of the net, with Stewart unable to respond.

It was reaching a situation where Reds looked as if they would score every time they went forward and the fourth duly arrived after 39 minutes.

Brad Hubbold, who had replaced Carroll, slipped a lovely ball through for Symington to race unopposed into the area. He had time to measure his shot and he tucked it away beyond Stewart into the far corner.

The match had been virtually played in the Ramsbottom half, so it was a surprise when the visitors scored three minutes before the break. Kelly was guilty of some indecision and, as a result, Rammy got the ball into the box where Jamie Rother turned it home from close range.

The second half might have been an anti-climax, in that it produced only one more goal, but there were numerous chances which were squandered.

Nathan Waterston (twice) and Allison (twice) should at least have hit the target while Stewart did have to make two decent stops to deny Tinnion and Brockbank.

Waterston, however, did get his goal in the 78th minute when Hubbold played a clever through ball and the south Cumbrian went on to fire clinically past Stewart.

Ramsbottom, who made all three substitutions at half-time, went nearest to scoring in the second half when Gari Rowntree headed against his own post.

Match Facts

Reds: Atkinson, Kelly, Brockbank, Wordsworth, Rowntree, Casson, Symington (Maguire 78), Carroll (Hubbold 35), Bowman (Waterston 63), Allison, Tinnion.

Unused subs: Clarke, Hebson.

Goals: Carroll (6), Allison (17), Bowman (28), Symington (39), Waterston (78).

Ramsbottom Utd: Stewart, Adelitoye, Kennedy, Osi-Efa (Maher 45), Perkins, Lugsden, Hmami (Murphy 45), Rother, Chukwu (Jones 45), Naidole, Evangelinos.

Subs (not used): Gooden, Fawns.

Goal: Rother (42)

Referee: Helen Cowley

Crowd: 469

Star Man: Conor Tinnion