Dunston FC make the long trek over The Pennines to West Cumbria for a Boxing Day clash against table toppers Workington AFC.

The Reds have responded positively to last seasons relegation as Danny Grainger’s side currently find themselves 5 points ahead of Marine AFC, a side who managed to leave The UTS Stadium last weekend with point against a Dunston side who had to play the majority of the game with 10 men.

The game will mark player coach Gari Rowntree’s final game for Workington. The defender announced his retirement last Saturday after the Reds 4-1 win away to Pickering Town.  33 year old Rowntree has appeared almost 500 times for the Borough Park outfit and captained the team on 160 occasions, having joined the club from Blackburn Rovers as a youngster.  Baring a season with the now defunct Carlisle based Celtic Nation during the 2013-14 season, he has been ever present and is understandably seen as a real favourite amongst the fans.

For Dunston, Chris Swailes’ side recorded their third clean sheet in a row last weekend and as a result moved up one place to 16th in The BetVictor Premier North West Division. Dunston have certainly stepped up a gear in recent weeks and with multiple games in hand over the vast majority of sides around them, there is a realistic chance Dunston could push towards the play-offs this season. 

Speaking to assistant manager Chris Errington “Workington are a quality side, they play a very different formation to most sides in this League and having analysed them, there’s no doubts as to why they’re top” 

He added “We’ve got a very strong squad to choose from; last weekends game sent a message out to teams in this League that we’re just not here to make up the numbers”.

“Both Swaz and I feel that on our day we’re a match for anybody at this level and the players are really starting to get to grips with this League”