Warrington Town 1 Cammell Laird 6
WARRINGTON Town’s promotion dream was left in tatters as they were hit for six by title contenders Cammell Laird. Just a couple of words can sum up this performance. Embarrassing and humiliating do the job well enough.
Having lost to Lairds three times last season Town were of the misplaced belief that maybe this time they could avenge in part those prior losses. How wrong they were.
Things did not even start that well as Lairds came in a kit clash so Town had to adorn the red socks from last seasons away kit. The first chance went the way of Liam Coyne. His header on was just missed by the advancing Ged Courtney allowing Leon Bimpson to gather in the Lairds goal.
A chink of light appeared on seven minutes when Ged Courtney picked up a ball that split the Lairds defence. As the keeper advanced he pushed the ball around him and from an acute angle shot home into an empty net.
The game could have had a totally different outcome if Town had been more clinical in this early period.
Mike Ellison put a header over from a Ged Courtney cross and then Town were put through again in similar circumstances to the first goal.
Ged saw the advancing keeper but his attempted lob lacked the height to get past Bimpson. Lairds broke away down the right and when an almost identical opportunity presented itself to Alex Hay; he made no mistake in dispatching it.
At this point Town switched off. Only four minutes elapsed and Warrington were nervously defending, just about scrambling the ball away for a corner. A poor clearance went straight to Ged Stone who fired unopposed into the corner of the net. The next one only took another three minutes.
Lairds again left othe defence trailing and with a run through on goal were fouled in the act of shooting. No cards but a penalty was awarded and comfortably despatced by Hay. His hat trick was gifted when Lairds worked the ball down the left on forty minutes. The Town defence left the ball thinking it would go out. It was crossed and Hay again scored unopposed.
Despite the score line there was some misplaced belief among Town followers that we were not out of it yet, but they never really threatened to make a recovery.
Town: Morton, McAllister, Fitzsimmons, Dunne (Salt), Coyne, Robinson, S Smith, Ellison (G Mitchell), Moores, Courtney, Hannon (P Mitchell).
