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Robinson featured on the right wing ahead of fellow trialist Tyrone Cameron, who, after showing a bit of ability at right-back in a couple of other pre-season games struggled tonight against a determined Workington outfit. Determined not being a word to describe United's efforts in a relatively strong starting eleven captained by, erm, central midfielder, Michael Bridges.
So kick-off came, and then after a minute, it was kick-off time again with Carlisle 1-0 down. Tony Hopper's low cross to the back-post seeing Dave Hewson finish neatly from close range. No midfielder came out with any praise for the Blues in the first-half but it was a drastic lack of effort from Jeff Smith that saw Workington make it 2-0 after only six minutes.
Smith making no attempt at all to chase back Hewson after losing the ball to the Reds man on the left, that leaving Hewson able to feed Jonny Wright who knocked an eight-yard effort home off the gloves of Chris Howarth. Luke Joyce then had a Carlisle goal ruled out for offside but it was Workington all the way and the scoreline hit 3-0 with 24 minutes gone.
United were showing a distinct lack of quality upfront and through the middle, the ball all too often being hoofed way long on a short pitch. That standard of play, with the Reds now taking their foot off the gas, meant little of any interest happening on the way to the half-time interval.
A sharp pint to numb the pain came and went before the start of the second-half signalled Cameron and Robinson off to be replaced by Blake and Vipond respectively. Dan Robinson for the home side clipped Howarth's bar with a long range effort quickly into proceedings before Danny Graham made Reds goalkeeper Adam Collin backpedal sharply to tip a 50-yard free-kick over his own crossbar.
The two Blues substitutes were perhaps, along with late replacement Gary Madine, the best performers on the night for United. Blake being pressed into action after a disappointing Howarth flapped at a corner, the United youngster then having to head off the line at the back-post.
Smith and Bridges had swapped places immediately after the interval but Bridges was making little headway down the flank as he often tried to do too much. He was involved in the 83rd minute though when he slotted home a penalty after Madine had seen his shirt pulled back in the box by Kyle May, although if I was Madine I'd have been a little steaming at Bridges nicking my spot-kick off me.
Then that was that really as an impressive Workington side featuring 12 ex-Carlisle players simply wanted the victory with a point to prove. Where United go from here though is a different matter, the continual sticking point of strength in squad depth only looking all the more evident after this evening.
Workington line-up:
Adam Collin, Lee Andrews, Gari Rowntree, Kyle May, Dan Kirkup, Dave Hewson (Dan Gullen 77), Graham Anthony (c) (Steven Rudd 70), Tony Hopper (James Earl 77), Jonny Wright (Andy Hardman 70), Dan Robinson, Anthony Wright.
Unused substitute :
Darren Edmondson.
United line-up :
Chris Howarth, Tyrone Cameron (Jonny Blake 46), Darren Campion, Josh Gowling, Dan Wordsworth, Jeff Smith, Luke Joyce, Ashley-Paul Robinson (Shaun Vipond 46), Michael Bridges (c), Danny Carlton, Danny Graham (Gary Madine 66).
Unused substitutes :
Alex Mitchell, Andy Cook, Tom Aldred and Matt Duffy.
Referee - Scott Duncan (Tyne and Wear).
Attendance - 638.