Warrington Town round off pre-season with five star victory

WARRINGTON Town rounded off their pre-season campaign with a comprehensive 5-1 victory over VCD Athletic.

A week away from the start of the new Evo-Stik Premier League campaign, at home to Stourbridge, the Yellows brushed past their Ryman League opponents.

Captain Ciaran Kilheeney notched a brace and the returning Scott Metcalfe marked his return to Cantilever Park with a goal.

It has been an up and down pre-season campaign for the Yellows, who will start the season as 14/1 sixth favourites for what would be a back-to-back league title.

An early injury to left-back Andy Nicholas caused a disrupted opening, but by 12 minutes, the hosts were in-front.

The excellent Scott Harries set up Kilheeney’s first, and six minutes later it was two as Kilheeney glanced home Metcalfe’s in-swinging corner.

The glorious Warrington weather prompted a drinks break midway through the first half.

By the next break, at half time, the Yellows were 3-0 to the good, Metcalfe finishing with a header from Danny O’Donnell’s cross field ball.

A handful of changes were made in the second half as boss Stu Mellish seeks to find his best line-up for the new season, and one of those substitutes added the fourth.

Harries again had the assist, crossing over for a trialist to head home.

The only blotch on the day was a late goal for Jack Stevenson for VCD.

But Warrington had the final say as Ryan Winder drilled one home from the edge to round off a very satisfactory performance.

Stourbridge are the visitors to Cantilever Park for Warrington Town’s competitive opener on Saturday.

Warrington Town: Wills, Grogan (Turner), Nicholas (Rogers), Ventre (Hayes), McCarten, O’Donnell, Harries, Kinsella, Kilheeney (Winder), Deegan (Trialist), Metcalfe (Codling). Unused subs: Speed, Rudge.

VCD Athletic: Simmonds, Nathaniel, Casey, O’Neill, Bruce, Joseph, Hallam, White, Menga, Gordon-Young, Rees. Subs: Thomas, Youngs, Hogan, Stevenson, Pearce.