Today I'm going back just two years to 2020 and an FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round tie between Knaresborough Town and Workington AFC played at Manse Lane, Knaresborough with an attendance of 280 that almost reached the Covid-related designated capacity stipulated by the FA. Knaresborough in North Yorkshire isn't very far (less than six miles) from my childhood home of Wetherby in West Yorkshire so, when Knaresborough Town drew former "big guns" Workington AFC in the FA Cup, it was almost rude not to go especially as there were severe restrictions on the football that I was able to attend anyway.
It's worth remembering that season 2020/21 had only begun at the beginning of September and that, due to Covid19, spectators were not permitted to attend so-called "elite level" matches (basically everything down to the sixth level of the English football pyramid. For matches below that level, essentially the grassroots level of the game, spectators were allowed to attend but there were capacity restrictions. For Knaresborough Town the capacity in operation was just 300 although that would have been more than adequate for most of thier matches up to that point. Workington received a ticket allocation for the game of just 75 (priced at £6 each) although I suppose that, since that was 25% of the designated capacity, that's all that Workington could have reasonably expected.
"The Boro" or Knaresborough Town play their football in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division (at the ninth level of the English football pyramid) and had already progressed through the FA Cup's Extra Preliminary Round to reach the Preliminary Round stage by beating Glasshoughton Welfare on penalties the previous week. Workington AFC (not Town, that's the Rugby League club) at the time were playing their football in the Northern Premier League Division 1 North West, effectively one level above Knaresborough Town in the pecking order. "The Reds" of Workington AFC hold a special place in the hearts of older lovers of the beautiful game as they were longstanding members of the Football League until failing to gain re-election in 1977. Their coveted place was taken by Wimbledon and Workington today are a long way away from regaining their rightful place in the Football League.
The featured game proved to be a good advert for FA Cup football. Workington took an early lead in just the 8th minute with a goal from Conor Tinnion but this was almost immediately clawed back by Knaresborough with an equaliser coming from their number 9 Toby Harris. It was a good competitive tie and Workington regained the lead just before halftime with a goal scored by Scott Allison. Allison would grab his second goal of the match (and his 122nd for the club) in the 78th minute to set the seal on a Workington victory and Knaresborough's Cup aspirations were over for another season.
Workington's win earned them a place in the 1st Qualifying round where they would be drawn away to higher ranked Radcliffe FC and were eliminated after a 5-3 goal fest. As was the case for most football clubs at the grassroots level of the game, Workington's season was blighted by the ongoing problems caused by Covid19 and was curtailed in February 2021 with third placed Workington having managed to play just nine League games up to that point.
CRB Match No. 2394
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