7.45pm 9 August 2023
Wearside League, Premier Division
Windscale 1 Silksworth Colliery Welfare 1 (att 53) at Derwent Park, Workington
Workington can feel like a long way from anywhere, but it's close enough to Egremont, where Windscale AFC are based, to provide them with a convenient alternative home venue.
Windscale's floodlights are currently out of action so they needed a ground to host this midweek fixture. News that they'd settled on Derwent Park, home of Workington Town Rugby League Club, was enough for me to plan a lengthy post-work jaunt to West Cumbria.
Derwent Park is home to Workington AFC's women's team, but rarely hosts men's senior football. It's a throwback, in a good way, to sports stadiums from decades ago, with large stands at the sides and an open terrace at one end.
Neither stand was open for this game, but the spectators were easily accommodated at the side of the pitch, standing on a track that used to host speedway. Seats were available in the form of picnic tables at one end close to the snack bar.
A small crowd in a large arena always creates a strange atmosphere, and that was the case here. But it was a lively game and, at times, a rough one. Perhaps the players were inspired by playing in a rugby stadium.
The two goals came within a couple of minutes of each other shortly before half time. Silksworth had looked most likely to score first, and they did. But their lead was short-lived.
Both teams created chances after the break, and again the visitors looked the best bet to get a winner, but the game ended all square.
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