A STEVE Jennings penalty was enough to earn Warrington Town the three points with a 1-0 win over Buxton.
Tony Gray’s shot in the second half was blocked by the arm of Jack Broadhead to give the Yellows the advantage, and a red card for Matt Baker didn’t help the visitor’s cause.
But a dramatic double save by Warrington ‘keeper Tony McMillan in injury time was needed to secure the win for the hosts.
In a lively game, broken up by plenty of niggly fouls, Warrington had the ball in the net inside four minutes, Jack Higgins heading home from a corner but the whistle had already gone for a foul.
A double chance followed for Buxton before 10 minutes, first Ant Wilson drilled in to the side netting before he released league top scorer Liam Hardy through the middle and he was denied by an onrushing McMillan.
They had an appeal for a penalty turned down on 23 minutes, a good delivery by Joe McGee saw Wilson go down near the penalty spot, while Joe Maguire headed straight in to McMillan’s hands.
But the best chance of the first half was to fall to Warrington, Gray flicking on for Jamie McDonald, who was unusually impotent in front of goal, slicing in to the side netting having taken time to steady himself, and the two sides went in at half time goalless.
The gamebreaker came nine minutes in to the second half, Buxton failing to clear a free-kick and as the ball went back in to the box, Gray hit one well on the volley and it cannoned off Broadhead’s arm and the referee had no choice to point to the spot.
Up stepped Steve Jennings and he sent Will Jaaskelainen, the Buxton ‘keeper who is the son of former Premier League stopper Jussi and is on loan from Crewe, the wrong way for 1-0.
Buxton’s task was made harder on 66 minutes when a sharp ball by Jennings in to Stephen Milne saw the substitute’s legs taken from under him by the already booked Matt Baker, and the right back was sent for an early bath.
Warrington looked in control as the game closed out but they almost chucked away two points in stoppage time.
Hardy broke for the visitors and his ball in to the box was hit sharply goalwards by Bradley Grayson and it was superbly clawed away by McMillan, who then rushed out to the edge of the box to deny Meade.
There was still time for another chance after that, this time at the other end, as Ged Kinsella wasted a golden opportunity with a two-on-one with Gray.
The win lifts Warrington in to third place in the table.
Warrington Town: McMillan 8, Carden 6, McKeown 7, Goulding 8, McCarten 7, Higgins 7, Green 7 (Kinsella 6), Jennings 7, McDonald 6 (Milne 6), Gray 8, Hayhurst 6 (Williams 6). Unused subs: Hamer, Vassallo.
Buxton: Jaaskelainen 7, Baker 5, McWilliams 6, Hinsley 6, Miller 6, Maguire 7, Meade 7, Broadhead 6, Wilson 7 (Grayson 6), Hardy 6, McGee 7. Unused subs: Smith, Morrison, McDermott, Biggs.
