THE wheels well and truly came off Warrington Town’s push for the play-offs as they produced their worst performance of the season crashing 5-0 against lowly Mossley.
With the game being played on a very heavy pitch at Ashton United, due to floodlight problems at the hosts grounds, Town struggled to get to grips with the playing surface.
The hosts almost went ahead in the 3rd minute, when Mike Grogan was on hand to head of the line. The hosts took the lead in the 9th minute, when former Town striker Chris McDonagh was allowed space to tap in a cross by strike partner Mike Fish. With Town struggling to get into the game they were indebted to young stand-in full back Chris Brown, who denied Fish with an excellent challenge.
Warrington eventually worked their way in to the game and striker Tony Evans saw his drive go over the bar after good work to beat his defender in the box.
The game had opened up and midfielder Matt Kay forced a good low save by Richie Mottram in the Town goal. The home side should have gone further ahead after McDonagh latched onto a poor Mottram clearance, but his long range effort missed the open goal. Town had a good chance to equalise, when striker Jimmy McCarthy rounded the home keeper but saw his shot kicked off the line by defender Graham Kay, the follow up effort by Evans was sliced wide. Within 30 seconds the home side were 2-0 up, Fish given time and space to slot home beyond Mottram and into the bottom corner.
On the stroke of half time, prolific striker Gavin Salmon found himself through on goal, but could only poke wide past the advancing Mossley goalkeeper.
The second half began with the home side in control again and McDonagh had a good chance early on, finding the side netting, and it wasn’t long until Mossley killed the game off, when midfielder Matty Kay drove home from the edge of the box, despite the best efforts of Mottram, who couldn’t keep the ball out.
The home side went further ahead just after the hour, when after seeing the ball cleared off the line twice by McCarthy, Mossley scored at the third attempt, Kay being on hand to slot home.
Town continued to attack and went close through McCarthy but Mossley striker Fish completed the scoring, taping home a cross from McDonagh as Town slid to an ignominious defeat. Not even late efforts from Evans or Salmon could muster a goal for the vocal travelling support.
Town: Mottram, Hadland, Brown, Kennedy, Grogan, Taylor (Chetcuti, 62), McCarthy, O’Donnell (c), Evans, Salmon, Gahgan, subs not used: Smith, Dutton, Roberts, Toone
