HONOURS ended even as Warrington Town and Crewe United shared the Styles and Co sponsored Peace Cup for the first time, following a 0-0 draw at Cantilever Park after a weekend which included honouring the club’s Wembley squad of 1987.
The match followed on from a special civic reception at Warrington Town hall as the Irish visitors teamed up with members of Warrington’s Wembley squad, to mark the 25th anniversray of the historic FA Vase final with St Helens Town – while at the same time kick starting the build up to the 20th anniversary of the Warrington bombing in March 1993, which claimed the lives of 12-year-old Tim Parry and three-year-old Jonathan Ball.
Special guests at the event included Tim’s parents Colin and Wendy Parry who helped inspire the Warrington Peace Centre.
Meanwhile Colin was joined by former Everton and England legend Peter Reid at the Peace Cup game as Town unveiled their brand new 2012-13 kit and handed a debut to Peter Dogan, their major pre-season signing from National Conference side Barrow.
It was Town who started the game the brighter of the two sides, with livewire striker Ash Ruane shooting narrowly wide early on, before Mike Reid did the same when well placed. Crewe were dealt a blow early on, losing captain Brendan Mooney to injury, and having to introduce Frenchman Loic Bouchard from the bench. Town who were playing some good football, saw a dangerous cross dealt with by Scott Bingham for Crewe. Even this early in the game, manager Shaun Reid was looking to make changes, introducing Phil Mooney and Colin Flood from the bench just after the half hour. Even with these changes, Town could not find a cutting edge in the last third of the field, with Crewe’s man of the match, goalkeeper Colm McAuley clearing his lines under pressure from Ruane. Town’s best chance of the half, came just before half time, with Dogan getting on the end of some neat interplay around the Crewe penalty area, only to see McAuley produce a fine low save at close range.
Town came out for the second half with fresh impetus and immediately pushed forward looking to get the goal their possession deserved, with Fraser Ablett and Mooney both narrowly shooting over from distance within five minutes of the restart. Town came closest to scoring in the 52nd minute, when centre half Jay McCarten saw his towering header go past a statuesque McAuley only to see midfielder Danny Morgan clear the ball off the goalline. Reid was soon to introduce youngster Dylan Glass from the bench, and it was his header that went narrowly wide of the upright soon afterwards. Town continued to dominate the majority of the game, but Crewe were once more indebted to McAuley with a quarter of an hour to go, this time producing a fine flying save to deny Town substitute John Cass’ thunderbolt from a tight angle. The final chance falling to Glass, who saw his curling effort from the edge of the penalty area, saved easily by McAuley, meaning that the trophy will be shared by the clubs for the next twelve months before Town return to Lisburn in summer of 2013.
Town: Judge, Roberts, Ablett, Dogan (c), McCarten, Murphy, Reid, Davies, Ruane, Doran, Shipton, subs all used: Mooney, McKenna, Flynn, Weaver, Glass, Robinson, Cass, Flood, sub not used: Owens
Mayor of Warrington Cllr Steve Wright with club mascot Ollie and Peter Reid.
(L-R) Warrington Chairman Gary Skentelbery, Mayor Steve Wright, Colin Parry, the two skippers, Ian Lloyd from Styles & Co and Cllr Thomas Beckett from Lisburn Council.
