Four games without a win for the Canaries in the league

BARWELL’S winless run stretched to four matches with a second successive defeat against play-off outsiders Workington.

The Reds scored twice in the space of five minutes through Rob Wilson and Jack Ryan to seal a fifth win from six matches.

With relegation mathematically impossible, and a top five spot increasingly out of reach, Barwell boss Jimmy Ginnelly opted to rotate his side.

Kai Davis was promoted from the bench for a first Barwell start, while Courtney Meade and goalkeeper Max Smith-Varnam both made the starting line-up.

A disjointed start for both sides was ended as Wilson’s strike from the edge of the box struck Lee Hildreth’s arm for an early penalty.

The midfielder stepped up from 12 yards and sent Smith-Varnam the wrong way.

That lead was soon doubled as Workington crafted a well-worked second.

Striker Ryan produced an excellent first touch to move into space before firing home with a smart near post finish to put the Cumbrian side in full control.

The hosts were only able to threaten from setpieces for much of the afternoon, with defenders Craig Stanley and Declan Towers going close with headers before half-time, in a bid to gain some momentum for a comeback.

Towers again went close from a corner, rising highest from Alex Tomkinson’s cross and watched on as his flick on crashed against the crossbar.

Heading into the final few minutes, Scott Allison was able to cut inside and strike from distance, but Smith-Varnam did well to hold on to the effort under pressure.

Eddy Nisevic roamed forward in the closing stages, and was well foiled by Workington stopper Aaron Taylor after a clearing header fell into the left-back’s path six yards from goal.

Starting line-up: SmithVarnam; Davis, Stanley, Towers, Nisevic; Story (Mwanyongo), Hildreth, Hickey, Tomkinson (Julien); Meade (Baldwin), Ball.

Subs not used: Castle, Barlone.