Town through to cup semi-final

WARRINGTON Town advanced to the semi finals of the Cheshire Senior Cup for the first time in nearly 20 years, after defeating Vodkat Premier Division outfit Congleton Town 2-0 at Cantilever Park last night, in what turned into a stormy encounter as three players saw red.
The game started off slowly in the first meeting between the two sides for six years, with both sides testing the other out. The first opportunity of the game fell to Warrington full back Louis Corrigan, who saw his curling free kick missed by everyone in a packed penalty area and barely going the wrong side of the upright. Warrington, who play a division higher than their visitors, began to take control of the game, firstly Chris Thompson shot straight at Congleton keeper Matt Conkie, before midfielder Rob Hardwick drove wide after Conkie parried Duffy’s powerful drive. The home side only pressed sporadically, but saw midfielder Josh Hancock shoot into the side netting when well placed. The game took a turn in Warrington’s favour on 20 minutes, when the visitors full back Simon Robinson was shown a straight red card after aiming a stamp at the head of midfielder Anthony Hickey. Three minutes later Warrington made the extra man advantage count, when striker Gavin Salmon reached a throughball before Conkie to poke the ball past the keeper and roll it into an empty net. Gradually the game became one way traffic, with the home side pressing forward, but a mixture of resolute defending and poor finishing from Warrington meant they couldn’t find the net again. The visitors did go close, with Hancock seeing his effort well saved by Paul Pritchard.
The second half began as the first half had ended with Warrington in control of the game and searching for a second goal, but it was the visitors who were the first to go close, midfielder Lee Talbot shooting wide of the target and colleague Shane Reaney also shooting wide. Congleton were reduced to nine men shortly after the hour mark, when midfielder Mark Beeston was shown a straight red card for dissent towards referee Mr Durbin and seven minutes later the home side made sure of their place in the semi final draw, when full back Mike Duffy lobbed a statuesque Conkie from 30 yards, in one of the best finishes seen at Cantilever Park for many years.
Warrington went in search of a third goal, Hickey cutting in from the left, before seeing his powerful drive go wide of the target. Substitute Connor Millington shooting too close to Conkie before Thompson once again shot straight at Conkie. Warrington were reduced to 10 men shortly before the end, when Thompson saw red for throwing the ball at an opponent during a melee. The last chance of the game saw Hickey’s header force a fine save from Conkie.

Town: Pritchard, Duffy, Corrigan, Jukes, Tomlinson (c), R Hardwick (Millington, 74), Collins (Gahgan, 74), Finley, Salmon, Thompson, Hickey, subs not used: Wade, Rutter