WARRINGTON Town needed extra time to see off lower league Cheadle Town to progress to the quarter-finals of the Cheshire Cup as they edged a nine goal thriller 5-4 at Cantilever Park last night.
Town made a number of changes from Saturday's league victory against Ossett Albion, introducing youngsters Josh Kavanagh, making his competitive debut for Town, and George Emson, making only his second start for the club, into the starting line up.
Neither side started particularly impressively, with Jamie Henders shot into the side netting the closest either side came early on. The first goal of a crazy first half, came in the 11th minute, when Cheadle midfielder Arron Riley was given space to shoot home beyond Chris Oldfield. The visitors lead lasted barely two minutes before Cheadle defender Paul Walley sliced Liam Shipton's dangerous looking cross beyond his keeper and into his own net. Within a minute, Town took the lead for the first time, Jamie Henders rounding keeper Joey Kavanagh, after good work by the recalled Chris Gahgan and slotted home into the empty net.
Cheadle equalised on seventeen minutes, once again Riley got on the end of a teasing cross to beat Oldfield to level up the scores.
With the game evenly poised at 2-2, Town once again took the lead six minutes later, striker Lee Madin, (pictured) beating the offside trap to lob home beyond Kavanagh, and into the net. Within a minute, Town went further ahead, Chris Gahgan slotting home at the second attempt, after seeing his penalty saved by Kavanagh, but reacting fastest to the rebound.
Even with the score at 4-2, there was still to be another goal, and it went the way of the visitors, winger Ben Brookes slotting home from the penalty spot, sending Oldfield the wrong way. There was still time for each side to go close before half time, but neither side could add to the previous seven goals.
As with many other games in a similar situation, the second half was tame by comparison, with chances at a premium early on, the only real chance falling to Madin, who despite rounding Kavanagh, saw his shot blocked by defender Warren Gaskin on the line, before Cheadle midfielder Andrew Lindon forced Oldfield into a fine low save at his near post.
Midway through the half, Town twice went close to adding to their score and sewing up the game, but on both occasions, they were denied by the woodwork. The first chance fell to River Humphreys who saw his half volley smack back off the crossbar, before less than a minute later, Jamie Henders saw his header strike the underside of the bar, only to see Kavanagh smother his follow up at close range.
A one goal lead was always precarious, and with less than two minutes left the visitors found a goal to take the game into extra time, substitute Arron Carroll seeing his effort deflected and looping over a full length Oldfield, who was powerless to keep the ball out of the net. There was still time for Oldfield to produce a fine save to keep Town in the competition and to take the game into extra time.
Like the second half, chances in the first period of extra time, were very few and far between, Oldfield coming out smartly to deny the visitors before central defender Mike Duffy saw his towering header blocked on the line by Gaskin, and Madin saw his free kick tipped over the crossbar.
The second period of extra time once again saw few clear cut chances as the players visibly tired and just as the lottery of penalties loomed, Town found a winning goal, Lee Madin latched onto a long clearance, only to be sandwiched by the two retreating defenders and referee Mr Cunliffe pointed to the spot. Substitute Chris Thompson coolly slotting home the penalty to the relief of the majority of the crowd within Cantilever Park.

Recalled Chris Gahgan takes on the Cheadle defence


Chris Gahgan scores at the second attempt after seeing his penalty saved
 
Town: Oldfield, Josh Kavanagh (D) (Collins, 78), Emson (Matthew Cook, 81 (D), Humphreys (c), Duffy, Hamid, Shipton, Jackson, Madin, Henders (Thompson, 90), Gahgan, subs not used: Brown, Scott Bakkor.