Warrington Town move within one win of FA Cup first round proper

Pictures John Hopkins

WARRINGTON Town are one win away from the FA Cup first round after beating AFC Telford United 2-1 in the third qualifying round.

In front of a crowd over over 500, the Yellows were too strong for their opponents from the league above, National League North, thanks to goals from Bohan Dixon and Ben Garrity, with an injury-time consolation briefly threatening an undeserved draw for the visitors.

It puts Paul Carden’s men in the hat for the fourth qualifying round draw on Monday, where they could be drawn against National League opponents, just one win from reaching the first round proper for only the second time in the club’s history.

For the third time during Carden’s reign, the Yellows defeated higher league opposition and were well worth the win in the end.

The first half was an even affair, with both sides having spells of control of possession and territory, without really creating a great deal in the form of clear cut chances.

Telford winger John McAtee curled a shot comfortably over before the best chance of the first quarter fell to him, a scruffy cross from the right resulting in a good block by Mitch Duggan landing in space for McAtee who poked wide on the stretch under pressure from the onrushing Tony McMillan in the Yellows goal.

All Warrington had mustered in the first half were two blocked shots from the edge, but they would go in at the break in front thanks to Dixon, who climbed high to not down Duggan’s right-wing cross in injury time.

As has been evident in a number of matches during Warrington’s stellar league form, they looked more than capable of containing their opponents with a lead to defend, though it was very nearly doubled inside two minutes of the restart, Dixon smartly side footing a volley just wide of the far post after a free kick was only half cleared by the visitors.

Telford were struggling to get a foothold and the Yellows dealt the killer blow on 64 minutes. A scrappy corner wasn’t cleared and as the ball bounced around, the excellent Garrity got his foot on it, turned and fired in to the right hand corner of the goal for 2-0.

It was only after the introduction of Matthew Barnes-Homer on 82 minutes that the visitors looked anything like scoring, he brought in a cross from fellow substitute Darryl Knights and scrambled a shot goalwards, which was cleared off the line by Duggan.

And just as it looked like the game would be seen out with the minimum of fuss, Telford somehow bundled in a goal thanks to Daniel Udoh following a goalmouth scramble that saw bodies on the floor, including Yellows keeper McMillan.

That set up a frantic few final minutes of injury time that the Yellows managed to see out and continue their unbeaten run in all competitions.

They return to league action on Tuesday night with a trip to Whitby Town (kick-off 7.45pm).

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Jack Mackreth in action – Picture John Hopkins

Players celebrate with fans – Picture John Hopkins

Warrington Town: McMillan, Duggan, Whittle (Hughes), Garrity, Roberts, Raven, Mackreth, Evans, Gray (Amis), Dixon (George), Kirby. Unused subs: Beeley, Benjamin, Carden, Speare.

AFC Telford United: Bromley, White, Morley, Deeney, Sutton, Streete, Royle, McQuilkin (Knights), Morgan-Smith (Barnes-Homer), Udoh, McAtee (Dawson). Unused subs: Smith, Cowens, Brown, Wycherley.