Strewn with errors and miss-placed passes, there was a lack of creativity, cohesion and passion in this Emirates Third Round Qualifying tie and the only positives to emerge for either side was a clean sheet and being in Monday’s draw.

And, on the basis that Reds and ‘Grove cannot play much worse than they did on Saturday, the replay at the Novus Stadium should be worth seeing.

Joint boss, David Hewson, remained positive and was in no mood to admit that Kidsgrove go into the second game as favourites.

“Of course the performance was disappointing but we have to pick ourselves up, get over the doom and gloom, go again and get the job done on Wednesday,” was the battle cry.

Kidsgrove did piece together a three man passing move in the first half, culminating in Lewis Bergin bearing down on goal only for Aaran Taylor to make his only save of note.

Reds efforts at goal were few and far between with Conor Tinnion’s two free kicks missing the target, one by a distance the other narrowly and Kieran Maguire forcing Dominic Kurasik into a fairly routine stop.

But the best chance of the game fell to Jason Walker and even he lacked the composure to finish the tie at the first attempt, shooting high over the Town End goal from ten yards out.

It was one of those days.

Workington Taylor, Cowperthwaite (Olsen, 73), Rowntree, Wordsworth, Douglas, Hubbold, Allison, Maguire (Mellen, 78), Walker, Joel, Tinnion. Substitutes – Casson, Holt, Tidy, Mossop (not used).

Kidsgrove Athletic Kurasik, Freeland, Morris (Saxon, 89), Bergin, Rhodes, Butler, Diskin, Williams, Budrys, Malbon (Cole, 82), Williamson. Substitutes – Valido-Barai, Twyford, Austin and Burzynski (not used).

Referee Michael Crusham, Wigan

Bookings: Wordsworth (Workington), Rhodes, Williams (Kidsgrove Athletic)

Attendance 558