WHILE their rugby neighbours were lifting the challenge cup Warrington Town embarked on the road to Wembley with a convincing 3-0 victory at Atherton LR in the FA Cup with Budweiser Preliminary Round tie at Crilly Park.
But victory came at a cost as shortly after opening the scoring live wire striker Kevin Townson (pictured top) had to leave the pitch with a suspected dislocated shoulder.
The home side, who featured former Town midfielder Ian Bold amongst their ranks, started brightly, and almost capitalised on uncertainty in the Town rear guard early on, but striker Jerome Matthews could not pounce, and this allowed Town defender Peter Doran to clear the danger.
Following this scare, Town, wearing an unfamiliar white kit, due to both kits clashing with the home sides Blue and Yellow kit, got into the game, with energetic midfielder Phil Mooney shooting narrowly wide of Atherton ‘keeper Phil Priestley’s near post after nine minutes. Just a minute later, Town took the lead, with what will surely turn out to be a goal of the season contender, striker Kevin Townson chesting down a pass 30 yards from goal, before unleashing a dipping half volley that gave Priestley absolutely no chance.
Once Town had taken the lead, they began to control the game, with captain Peter Dogan having a calming influence from his central midfield role. It was Doran that was next to go close, shooting straight at Priestley from the edge fo the penalty area. Despite being in control generally, the home side were looking dangerous on the break, with midfielder Chris Lomax, shooting weakly at Town keeper Adam Judge after being played through on goal.
Town suffered, what could have been a disasterous loss soon after, when Townson was forced to leave the field with a suspected dislocated shoulder after an innocuous looking clash. Despite the loss of Townson, Town went further ahead a minute later, when Liam Shipton’s mazy run and powerful shot was parried by Priestley, with the on rushing Rob Hardwick coolly picking up the loose ball, rounding a prone Priestley before firing home into the bottom corner. With a two goal lead, Town were never to be seriously challenged, when it came to the lead, midfielder Phil Davis shooting over the bar, before substitute Joe Driscoll also shot over. On the stroke of half time, Town thought they had gone further ahead, defender Michael Douglas seeing his header from a dangerous looking corner, somehow saved by Priestley, who managed to push the ball over the crossbar from his own goalline.
Town continued to control the game into the second half, without really creating many chances early on, the closest they came, was when Shipton saw his cross come shot strike the top of the cross bar and bounce out of play, with Priestley frantically backpedalling.
Just after the hour, Town did extend their lead, Driscoll reaching a sumptuous throughball from Dogan before the on rushing Priestley, to poke home into the unguarded net. Despite being three goals down, the home side never gave in, and should have closed the gap shortly afterwards, when midfielder Andy Griffiths shot over when well placed in the Town penalty area.
With time running down, Town introduced talismanic striker Lee McEvilly, and it was he who shot straight at Priestley with twelve minutes remaining. Atherton had their best chance to get on the scoresheet, substitute Daniel Regan ghosting into the penalty area unmarked, only to see his effort fly harmlessly over the bar when it was arguably harder to miss the target.
With time almost up, Town had their best chance to add a fourth goal, Driscoll being played through, before coolly rounding Priestley, only to see his weak shot cleared off the line by the retreating Bold. The last chance of the game fell to Town substitute Fraser Ablett, who once again saw his shot go straight at Priestley.
Town: Judge, Doran, Colin Flood (d), Davis, Michael Douglas (d), McCarten, Mooney, Dogan (c), Hardwick (McEvilly, 60), Townson (Driscoll, 27), Shipton (Ablett, 67), subs not used: Reid, Flynn
Town will now face North West Counties Premier League team Maine Road in the First Qualifying Round of the FA Cup at the Abacus Solicitors Community Stadium on Saturday, September 8 with a 3:00pm kick off.
But before then they host table topping Trafford FC at the Abacus Solicitors Community Stadium on Bank Holiday Monday in a 3:00pm kick off in an Evo-Stik NPL First Division North fixtures.
