Warrington Town get off to a winning start

VIDEO: WARRINGTON Town started life in the Evo-Stik Premier League with a comfortable 2-0 win over Stourbridge.

Danny Ventre scored a first half double as Town opened the season strongly in the highest league in the club’s history.

It could have been different had Justin Richards not squandered a golden opportunity to get the visitors back in the game from the penalty spot, but in the end it was a routine win.

Stourbridge started the better side without creating anything of note and it took a quarter of an hour for the hosts to gain a foothold in the match.

Town forced a succession of corners, and from the third Ventre found the back of the net direct from the set piece, to the bemusement of the Stourbridge defence.

GOOOAAAAL Danny Ventre scores direct from a Corner to make it @theyellows 1-0 @StourbridgeFC pic.twitter.com/Zr1YidsKJX

— warrington-worldwide (@warringtonworld) August 13, 2016

Ventre and Scott Metcalfe were causing problems for goalkeeper Matthew Gould with their deliveries from set pieces, and Metcalfe had a corner from the other side go out off the crossbar.

Lightning struck twice for Gould as he was beaten for a second time direct from a set piece on 36 minutes.

This time it was a free-kick, again from Ventre, that was whipped in from wide on the left and found its way right in to the far corner, the ‘keeper distracted by James McCarten’s run across the path of the ball.

GOOOOAAAL Jay McCarten glances in Ventre’s free kick to make it @theyellows 2-0 @StourbridgeFC 35 mins pic.twitter.com/4Lke6JzCHu

— warrington-worldwide (@warringtonworld) August 13, 2016

In front of a 321-strong crowd, Warrington went in 2-0 at half-time.

Stourbridge’s invitation back in to the match came on 56 minutes when Brad Birch went down under a challenge inside the box with his back to goal.

But Richards hit the crossbar with the spot kick and the invitation was spurned.

Lucky escape for @theyellows as @StourbridgeFC miss a penalty as Richards hits crossbar on 57 mins 2-0 pic.twitter.com/yOQAbJxtqB

— warrington-worldwide (@warringtonworld) August 13, 2016

That allowed Town to breathe a sigh of relief, and much like the opening goal had done in the first half, it knocked Stourbridge’s rhythm.

Karl Wills in the Town goal remained untroubled, and at the other end Metcalfe almost put the game beyond doubt with a terrific first time effort off Scott Harries’ cut back, which was well saved by Gould.

Harries, a close season signing from Clitheroe, had his chance for a third goal as his shot took a deflection and fell just wide of the far post.

Warrington closed out the game to start with three points, ahead of a trip to Spennymoor on Tuesday night.

Warrington: Wills, Turner, Clancy, O’Donnell, McCarten, Ventre, Harries, Kinsella, Kilheeney (Deegan), Dean (Winder), Metcalfe. Unused subs: Grogan, Rudge, Gillespie.

Stourbridge: Gould, Hull, Smikle (Green), Tonks, Duggan, Scarr, Birch, Broadhurst (Hague), Brown (Adams), Richards, Lait. Unused subs: Heath, Probert.