Town triumph over FA Cup heroes

Curzon Ashton 1 Warrington Town 3
TOWN travelled to FA Cup heroes Curzon Ashton, handing a debut to new signing, striker, Rob Dutton, and began playing into gale-like conditions sweeping from end to end.
The home side started brightest, and pressured Town from the off, however, it was Town who took the lead with their first shot of the game, when Chris Gahgan latched onto Phil Hadland’s pass, cut inside and launched a blistering swerving drive, which left keeper David Carnell flat footed.
Curzon pushed forward and saw leading goalscorer Mike Norton plant his header over the bar. They again went close to an equaliser, just before half time, seeing Town ‘keeper Richie Mottram scramble to save a shot deflected by Town midfielder Anthony Daniels.
The home side equalised when midfielder James Ogoo fell theatrically under a challenge in the box, and Norton stepped up to put the penalty away. The rest of the half was played in the midfield.
The second half began with the home side pressing forward looking for a lead, but a combination of good defending, weak finishing and good goalkeeping kept the scores level. Town were indebted to Mottram soon after, when he produced a fine save to keep Town level.
Town took the lead for a second time, when debutant Dutton was on hand to drive home from 12 yards, after the home defence failed to deal with an lofted ball in the wind. Town were now in their best spell of the game, Gahgan seeing his drive tipped over by Carnell and Phil Howard’s 30 yard free kick was also tipped over.
The home side made a charge looking for an equaliser, but were undone once again, when Howard was left unmarked in the box to head home, into the bottom corner. Curzon pushed forward looking for an unlikely draw, but apart from a shot that rattled the woodwork from centre back Andrew Watson, Town were untroubled, and the final whistle was greeted by cheers from the large travelling contingent in the crowd.
Town: Mottram, Holme, Fitzsimmons, Bowes, Kielty (C), Daniels, Hadland, Moore, Robert Dutton (D), Howard, Gaghan. Subs not used: Thomas, McCarthy, Smith.
Pictured (top right) Dutton’s debut goal and (left), top scorer Gaghan.