Warrington Town ease through in FA Trophy

WARRINGTON Town eased in to the next round of the FA Trophy with a 3-0 win against nine-man Basford United.

The game was virtually over as a contest by half time when the visitors had two men sent off in quick succession with Town already one goal to the good.

Ciaran Kilheeney had given the hosts the lead and was then brought down when through on goal by last man Billy Bennett, who was given his marching orders by the referee.

Midfielder Courey Grantham then followed him for an early bath after being shown a red for an apparent stamp on the stroke of half time to the dismay of the on-looking Basford chairman.

Basford, who play at the same level as Town but in the south division, were winless in three coming in to this game while Warrington had gone top of the league with a win in their last outing.

The pitch at Cantilever Park was in excellent condition given the weather, with the incessant rain getting in the way of either side finding any sort of rhythm in the first half.

In fact it was quarter of an hour until either goalkeeper had a save to make, Basford’s Saul Deeney comfortably getting down to stop Nathan Burke’s curling effort.

Former Republic of Ireland Under 21 international Deeney was probably the visitors best player, especially in the first half, sweeping up at the back behind his back four.

He couldn’t prevent Town taking the lead midway through the first half though, when Kilheeney beat him to Scott Metcalfe’s cross to put the hosts ahead.

Basford rarely looked like troubling Karl Wills and their task got harder when left-back Bennett brought Kilheeney down as the striker raced through on goal. Although James McCarten hit the resulting free-kick from the edge of the box well over, the damage was done.

And it went from bad to worse when Grantham went in heavily on Alex McQuade and was also dismissed.

It enabled Warrington to dictate the tempo at the start of the second half and they eventually got the important second goal on 56 minutes, Kilheeney steering the ball home right-footed off Metcalfe’s ball across from the left.

Kilheeney will want to extinguish any doubt about the third goal, which appeared to go in off defender Rob Darkin’s head from McQuade’s teasing left wing cross, and claim the match ball for the 66th minute strike.

Town could have had a few more, with both Kilheeney and substitute Ben Wharton having goals chalked off for offside, but they go in to the hat for the FA Trophy third qualifying round draw on Monday.

Shaun Reid’s side are next in action on Tuesday night, when they start their defence of the Doodson Sport Cup away at Ramsbottom United (7.45pm kick-off).

Warrington Town: Wills, Turner, McQuade, Ventre (Rudge), McCarten, O’Donnell, Gahgan, Burke, Kilheeney, Deegan (Wharton), Metcalfe (Grogan). Unused subs: Robinson, Lester.

Basford Utd: Deeney, McNicholas, Bennett, Hollis (Anderson), Darkin, Meikle (Helliwell), Grantham, Grayson, Wiggins-Thomas, Bopp, Smith (Pickbourne). Unused subs: Hendrie, Duffy.