WARRINGTON Town suffered a second successive defeat as Lancaster City completed the double over them this season with a 3-1 win at the Giant Axe.
The hosts handled the atrocious weather conditions much better than the league leaders, scoring two second half goals playing in to the driving rain and blustery wind that had caused Town all sorts of problems before half time.
It was backs against the wall for much of the first half, as Warrington struggled to get any possession or territory, with clearances barely reaching the centre circle due to the elements.
Retaining possession was also proving difficult, and it wasn’t too long before goalkeeper Josh Cook was called in to action, getting down low to deny Gary Hunter.
Lancaster were dominating territory, but they were finding it hard to break down the visitor’s defence, and were restricted to long range efforts that weren’t troubling Cook.
Warrington’s resolve was rewarded when on 21 minutes, they took a surprise lead. On a rare foray in to the opposition’s half, Chris Gahgan released Aaron Bowen down the right, and his excellent cross was headed home by Ciaran Kilheeney.
That proved to be a brief respite from the flurry of rain and pressure that Town were withstanding, and for a spell, they started to gain possession further up the field.
But eventually the pressure told, and Lancaster were level before the break. Phil Davies conceded a throw on the Lancaster left flank, and a well worked move saw Tom Kilifin pull the ball back for Sam Wills to fire home left footed from the edge of the box.
As it was, Shaun Reid’s men did well to go in level at the break, and looked forward to enjoying the benefits of the conditions in the second half.
However, it didn’t quite work out that way, as their opponents adapted to the conditions much better than Town had managed in the first half.
They came out the blocks firing, and by the third minute of the second half, Lancaster had taken the lead.
A long free kick was brought down by Mark Jackson, and his strike partner Jordan Connerton was able to beat a man and then find the far corner with his left-foot shot.
The game could have been dead and buried two minutes later when Kilifin wasted a glorious chance after being released by Wills, and a yellow card for David Mannix perhaps reflected Town’s increasing frustration.
Although Town were now getting the ball on the deck and passing it around, they weren’t getting in behind and creating chances.
They registered their first shot on target, other than the goal, when Mannix shot from outside the box, and forced a save out of Mike Hale.
Hale was called in to action moments later, tipping Scott Metcalfe’s shot around his left post.
Unfortunately for Town, that was about as busy as he got, and Lancaster took advantage, sealing the victory late on when Jackson headed home Simon Wearing’s cross.
The result means Warrington have now lost twice to both Darlington and Lancaster, the only two teams to have beaten them in the league this season, and their lead at the top of the table has now been cut to three points.
Lancaster: Hale, Henry (Hudson), Elderton, Steel, Clark, Hunter, Akrigg, Wills, Connerton (Wearing), Jackson, Kilifin. Unused subs: Taylor, Donnelly, Millar.
Warrington: Cook, Davies, Thompson, Meakin (McKenna), McCarten, Robinson, Gahgan, Mannix, Bowen, Kilheeney, Metcalfe (Dawson). Unused subs: Dogan, Newby, Bandell.
