Workington 1 Lancaster City 1

FOOTBALL, the Beautiful Game - but whichever soccer luminary made that statement had obviously never made a trip to Workington on a Tuesday night as Lancaster City's class-packed kids were forced to fight for a point.

To say Workington skirt the edge of the rules of football is perhaps a rather large understatement.

That is unless their rules are more akin to Cumberland and Westmorland wrestling, but even then routine elbowing and brutal two-footed tackles are not allowed.

The roughhouse Reds should have been reduced to 10 men after a mere 20 seconds when their chief sniper Carl Heiniger tried to snap Gary Bauress in two with a sickening challenge.

Unfortunately referee Craig Buxton failed to even produce a yellow card when red would have been the correct action.

Maybe Buxton wasn't going to book someone after less than a minute but maybe he should because from that moment on Workington refereed the game.

There was debate about the validity of the corner that led to their opener on 15 minutes but Heiniger didn't care as he stole in to head home.

But he wasn't finished there.

Quarter of an hour later Heiniger smashed his elbow into Nick Rogan's face with Buxton less than three yards away. The decision? A yellow card.

But justice of sorts was done from the resulting free-kick as Stuart Howson played the ball in beautifully for Joe McMahon to power home a header.

There was still time for Andrew Bond and Alex Taylor to be whacked in the mouth by errant elbows. Surprise, surprise Buxton took no action as Ryan Elderton, struggling with the flu, was withdrawn and the Dolly Blues took to the sanctuary of their dressing room at 1-1.

The second half was just as brutal as Workington tried to win the game - but City's back three of Howson, McMahon and Andy Scott were all outstanding and keeper Antony McMillan was also on his mettle.

Yet it was City who nearly stole the points as Ryan-Zico Black's 30-yard lob just drifted wide, while the striker saw a wicked free-kick brilliantly saved by Adam Collin.

The on field brutality even threatened to spill over into the dugouts as time ran out and Workington's bullying went to new levels.

Maybe they were frustrated by City's resilience because it was one very hard won and deserved point.

Lancaster City: McMillan 8, McMahon 8, Howson 8, Scott 8, Morris 7, Bauress 8 (Uberschar 69, 7), Bond 7, Elderton 7 (Eckersley 44, 8), Rogan 7, Black 8, Taylor 8. Subs (not used): Foxcroft, Shaw

Attendance: 479

Referee: Craig Buxton (Accrington)