Boro edge home bad-tempered win
Scarborough Athletic bagged the festive win they needed at Workington on Saturday, winning 3-2 in an all-action, ill-tempered affair.
The game caught fire in the closing stages, with Boro striking the killer blows, but four red cards followed in an ugly battle after the full-time whistle.
The game burst away to a swift start, with Boro looking re-energised by their lengthy time away from the action.
Despite this, the chances were few in the minutes after the starting whistle, with both teams fighting to come to terms with a damp, bobbly pitch.
Things burst into life with 20 minutes on the clock though, with two goals in a minute.
Conor Tinnion bent his free-kick brilliantly home off Tommy Taylor’s upright to open the scoring.
But within seconds, parity was restored when James Walshaw was felled in the box and Michael Coulson rolled home from the penalty spot.
Workington had a useful chance to reclaim the advantage a handful of minutes later, but Matty Douglas sliced horribly wide from just eight yards.
The clog and slog resumed in the closing stages of the first half, though Walshaw dinked just wide seconds before Mr Ellis’ whistle.
Boro could well have found themselves behind in the opening 15 minutes of the second half.
Tinnion volleyed just wide of the goal, while Sam Joel missed two great opportunities after some slack Boro defending.
The home fans were buoyed further when Brad Carroll won a free header in the Boro box, but he managed to angle it wide.
It seemed as though it was going to be a long journey home with either one or no points, that was until it all lit up in the dying embers.
Having absorbed pressure for much of the half, Boro launches a set-piece into the box.
Kev Burgess flicked it to Gooda at the far post and he stabbed home.
Workington almost responded immediately when keeper Aaran Taylor planted a header against the bar and it was cleared off the line.
Then, with the keeper caught out, Boro broke quickly and Coulson rolled home his second of the game to make it 3-1.
There was still time for Sean Patterson to force home and bring it back to 3-2, but Boro had the win they needed.
The emotions spilled over after the full-time whistle when both teams and benches got involved in a huge scuffle.
This led to Gooda and sub Jamie Forrester being dismissed for Boro, while Matty Douglas and Kyle May were also red-carded for Workington.
The referee’s report will prove to be key, as if Gooda is accused of spitting in the melee then he could miss a few more matches than the usual three for a straight red card.