Blyth Spartans 3 Workington Reds 4: A last-gasp goal from Rob Wilson secured Workington Reds a play-off final berth after a breathtaking semi-final at Blyth.

Reds had taken a 3-1 lead thanks to a Scott Allison hat-trick but then Blyth came back to level matters with six minutes remaining to set up a tense finale.

But then up stepped Wilson to shoot Workington ahead and seal their place in the final on Saturday.

Reds had an early chance when Conor Tinnion’s cross wasn’t effectively dealt with by the Blyth defence and it came back to Rob Wilson but his shot was blasted over the crossbar.

Blyth then went on the attack and came close as Daniel Maguire fired a shot in but Kyle May was on hand to clear.

Tinnion provided the Reds fans behind the goal with something to cheer about as he turned the defender inside the box and his shot ricocheted off the crossbar.

Scott Allison was there to follow up but he blasted high over the target.

Blyth won a corner and it was floated in but May cleared. Then Damen Mullen tried to get a second shot in but the Reds defence stood firm.

Alex Mitchell had to stretch to save a shot from Sean Reid as he tried to curl it into the corner of the goal.

Tinnion got the ball into the box and amidst some confusion in the Blyth defence Joe McGee saw his shot rattle off the post.

Reds finally saw their persistence pay off on 34 minutes as they took the lead.

Leading scorer Scott Allison got on to the end of a McGee ball and he coolly slotted it past Adam McHugh in the Blyth goal.

The Workington side were on a roll and Gareth Armison played in McGee but as he tried to bring Tinnion into the attack the flag was raised for offside. McGee produced a bit of brilliance to keep the ball in play but Allison volleyed over the bar from close range.

Reds won a free-kick and Tinnion decided to have a shot from around 30-yards out but it was straight at the keeper.

Then, into added time, came a body blow as Sean Reid capitalised on a mix up in the Reds defence and his shot took a deflection to get past Mitchell and make it 1-1 at the break.

Blyth came out all guns blazing in the opening minutes of the second half and a Sam Smith clearance was blocked and the home side looked to capitalise before Tinnion came in to make a crucial tackle.

Then, on the break, McGee fed a lovely ball into the path of Allison and he made no mistake as he took on the defence and dispatched his shot past the keeper into the corner to make it 2-1.

Blyth tried to strike right back as they won a free-kick just outside the area. But Dale’s effort went over the heads of everyone in the box and into the arms of Mitchell.

Mitchell came out of his area to halt a Blyth attack but they dodged around the stricken keeper and it was left to Calvert to block the attempted cross and settle the nerves.

And then that man Allison made it 3-1 on 67 minutes as he secured his hat-trick. He turned in the area and beat the keeper to slot the ball home.

Blyth brought it back to 3-2 when the ball was fed across from sub Neal Hooks and met by the head of Dillon Morse who put it in the back of the net.

Anthony Wright and Joe McGee both received yellow cards, as did Morse for Blyth as the tension mounted for both sides.

Blyth were attacking with vigour and as the ball came in Maguire blasted it home to make it 3-3 with six minutes remaining.

Reds then won a corner and at the second attempt Tinnion got it into the area but McGee’s final shot was off target.

Blyth were looking the more dangerous and May had to make another good block to keep them out.

Then, against the run of play, Rob Wilson took advantage of a melee in the box to put Reds back ahead on 90 minutes.

A Blyth corner in the dying seconds had the keeper up to try and get that last leveller but Reds’ defence kept their heads and sealed the win to take them to the play-off final against Salford City.

Blyth: McHugh, Cartwright,Watson, Buddle, Morse, Mullen, Richardson, Reid, Maguire, Wade, Dale. Subs: Kneeshaw, Nicholson, Hooks, Robinson, Parker. 

Goals: Reid 45+1, Morse 74, Maguire 84

Yellow card: Morse 80

Workington Reds: Mitchell, Simpson, Smith, May, Calvert, Wright (Tymon 82), McGee, Wilson, Allison, Arnison, Tinnion. Subs: Hammell, Hebson, Studholme, Jamieson.

Goals: Allison 34, 54, 67, Wilson 90

Yellow cards: Wilson 71, Wright 75, McGee 78

Referee: Will Finnie

Crowd: 1,124