WARRINGTON Town returned from Yorkshire with a win for the second time in a week as they saw off Harrogate Railway 2-1.
Scott Metcalfe’s well taken first half goal and a Steve Foster tap in after the break had Shaun Reid’s men in control, although they had to hold out for the last 20 minutes after Malachi Farquharson pulled a goal back for the hosts.
The game should have perhaps been put to bed before then, but Town stood firm to record their first away league win of the season.
On a pleasant autumn afternoon at Station View, and on an immaculate pitch, Town found an immediate rhythm and almost took the lead within a minute when Ben Wharton’s teasing shot just evaded Foster’s outstretched leg and was tipped wide by the Karl Dean in the Harrogate goal.
The ‘keeper was then called in to action by Foster with a higher curling effort, and on 13 minutes, he was picking the ball out of his net after Metcalfe continued his rich goalscoring form.
He carried the ball inside and shared a one-two with Wharton, beating Dean to the ball, taking it round the ‘keeper and then squeezing the ball in to the net.
Just as he did on Tuesday night in the 3-1 FA Cup replay win at Sheffield, Metcalfe showed Town just what they’ll be missing when he is forced to sit out for three matches following his harsh red card against the Yorkshireman last Saturday.
He fed the ball in to Wharton’s feet on the edge of the box, and the hard-working striker turned well and shot, only to see it come back off the foot of the post.
Metcalfe then shot over the bar, but Town generally had control of the match, only Rob Youhill on the Harrogate right flank was causing any sort of problem for the Town defence.
In fact, Youhill should have sent the teams in at half time on level terms. A left wing cross was headed goal wards by Nathan Cartman, and as Youhill rushed in, it bounced in front of him but he couldn’t adjust his run appropriately and hit the ball over the bar from barely yards out.
By the start of the second half, Town had been forced to change their central midfield pairing. David Mannix lasted only 15 minutes before being replaced by former Liverpool academy starlet Nathan Burke, while Connor Roberts was hauled off at the break after picking up yet another yellow card.
That prompted a re-shuffle for Reid, with Louis Corrigan moving in to central midfield, and Matt Doughty covering at left wing back.
It paid dividends in an unlikely manner, when Doughty laid on Town’s second goal. He linked up well with Metcalfe, who put in an excellent ball behind the defence, to Doughty overlapping on the left hand side, and his superb low ball across the goalmouth was finished well by Foster, who scored a similar effort against Sheffield on Tuesday.
With an hour gone, Town were in control, and should have put the game to bed when both Burke and Foster neglected to shoot when in very good positions inside the right of the box.
They were made to rue those missed chances six minutes later, when Harrogate found a way back in to the match.
A corner was only half cleared, and a shot from the edge of the box bounced awkwardly and hit the chest of Farquharson, looping over Doughty on the line.
That triggered a period of instability for Town, who found themselves under sustained pressure for the first time.
An important header by James McCarten cleared the danger from Youhill’s cross, and a number of corners had Town hearts in their mouths.
The visitors managed to regain their composure, and could have added a third before the end.
Harrogate ‘keeper Dean spilled a cross at Wharton’s feet, and his goal bound shot was blocked by a defender, before McCarten headed just over from a Corrigan corner.
In the final 10 minutes, Town looked the more likely to add to the scoring, and Dean made up for his earlier mishap by pulling off a fine save, tipping Corrigan’s fizzing half volley wide of his left-hand post.
The win lifts Warrington up to eleventh in the table ahead of Tuesday’s visit of Burscough to the Winners Recruitment Stadium.
Keeper Wills saves
Harrogate Railway: Dean, Thirkell, Kidd, Morris, Coates, Mycoe, Youhill, Ibrahimi, Cartman, Farquharson, Hunter. Unused subs: Simpson, Baker, Hickey, Ashforth.
Warrington: Wills, Davies, Hardwick, Mannix (Burke), McCarten, Robinson, Corrigan, Roberts (Doughty), Wharton (Gahgan), Foster, Metcalfe. Unused subs: Collins, Booth.
Goal scorer Scott Metcalfe
