TWO home games in four days are set to shape the run in of Warrington Town’s first season in tier seven of the football pyramid.
It is to manager Paul Carden and his team’s credit that they have been able to play their way in to the promotion reckoning, having been languishing in 15th on New Year’s Day.
Ahead of Saturday’s visit of Hednesford Town, the Yellows are fifth in the Evo-Stik Premier League table with seven games to play, though teams around them do have games in hand.
Based on average points, the Yellows would be seventh in the table, two spots outside the play-off places, but as the old adage goes, it’s sometimes better to have the points on the board.
Tuesday night’s home game is against Spennymoor, who will more than likely be in the end of season play-offs, and two home wins in quick succession are a must.
Warrington’s five remaining games after that are Barwell (Away, 1st April), Stafford Rangers (Home, 8th April), Whitby (Away, 15th April), Ashton United (Home, 17th April) and Matlock (Away, 22nd).
Carden has described all seven as cup finals, and it’s hard to disagree.
He has bolstered his squad with the signing of four players on transfer deadline day, most notably bringing in former Salford forward Sam Madeley and fellow striker Kurt Sherlock, together with two goalkeepers on dual-registration that will provide emergency cover for number one Tony McMillan.
The key game in the run-in looks to be at Whitby, currently a point behind the Yellows with a game in hand, though that could of course have all changed by the middle of next month.
Another interesting footnote is how pivotal the home game against Stafford could be, given that the original fixture was abandoned due to fog before Christmas wth the Yellows staring a 2-0 defeat in the face.
Of course, taking each game as it comes will be the focus for Carden. The game at Barwell next Saturday has already been earmarked as a banana skin, while the final day game at Matlock could even be a decider as to who finishes in the play-offs, as they currently sit just four points behind the Yellows with a game in hand.
