RADCLIFFE BOROUGH 0 WORKINGTON 2: VISITORS Workington proved just why they are top of the Unibond League Premier Division and heading for Conference North.

Boro proved why they are destined for another season in the Unibond Premier.

They obstinately tried to play their brand of passing football that has won them so many admirers.

But, despite having the league's top scorer in the shape of Steve Foster in their ranks, they could not convert possession into goals. Workington could.

After an opening 90 second bout of head tennis Workington began to vary their game, alternating the 'route one' approach with spinning the ball out to the flanks.

However, the first chance of the game fell to Boro when Paul McGuire met a free kick at the back post but smashed his effort across the face of goal.

On 15 minutes Workington's Craig Johnston connected with a low cross only to see Boro goalkeeper Andy Johnston - in for Danny Hurst, who tweaked a groin muscle in the pre-game warm-up - gobble it up at the second attempt.

But Boro failed to heed the warning and a minute later they were a goal behind.

Johnston's long throw from the left-hand corner flag deceived Royle but not Gary Cohen, who timed his jump perfectly to nod in via the right-hand post past Johnston.

Scott Wilson, playing his usual terrier-like game of hounding the opposition and winning the ball, and Martyn Forrest, trying to act as the distributor whenever he was in possession, were constantly frustrated as Workington bypassed midfield, with long balls up to Cohen and Johnston.

On the half-hour the visitors' Matt Heeney fired in a fierce drive from the right-hand side of the Boro box following a quickly taken free kick, but was denied by Johnston's parry.

However, a minute later he beat the Boro stopper when he was allowed to control a low ball into the box with the Boro defence caught ball-watching.

This allowed him to pick his sport and flash a low drive into the bottom left-hand corner to make it 2-0.

Then on 36 minutes a Workington corner spun off McGuire but his blushes were spared by the left post.

On 43 minutes Johnston beat Boro's offside trap, but his looping volley was at a comfortable height for his namesake in the Boro goal.

The home side ended the half on the attack, with McGuire leaping well to meet a corner from the right, but it was inches wide.

Boro began the second half with youngster Leon Grandison introduced up front for the ineffective Ciaran Kilheeney, and one new signing from Ashton United - Craig Fleury - replacing another Pete Carty.

The changes had an immediate effect with Grandison's pace catching the Reds' defence out, and Fleury adding a spark in midfield, although, Cohen could have made it 3-0 for Workington eight minutes after the restart, but he shot wide from eight yards.

Boro began to create more chances. Foster's flick-on to Grandison saw the young striker's shot cannon off a defender for a corner, which Kelly headed just wide; Grandison then controlled a long ball down the middle before being brought down 30 yards out, the resultant freekick was curled in well, bringing a good save out of Reds' goalkeeper, Adam Collin.

But for all Boro's pressure they were still vulnerable to the counter attack, and on 69 minutes the angle of bar and post came to their rescue, denying Workington's Eccles a goal.

McGuire again went close for Boro before Grandison saw his volley blocked by Collin.

The closest Boro went to scoring was in the 90th minute when Foster's blast was cleared of the line. He then led the appeal to referee Mr Tarry, claiming the ball had crossed the line, but he was having none of it.

BORO: Johnston, Spencer, Carty, Kelly, Royle, McGuire, Wilson, Sampson, Kilheeney, Foster, Forrest. Subs: Hill (for Wilson, 75), Fleury (for Carty, 45), Grandison (for Kilheeney, 45).

PETER COLLINS