WARRINGTON Town were knocked out of a second cup competition in a week with a 1-0 defeat to Prescot Cables in the FA Trophy.
A much-changed Yellows line-up succumbed to Jack Lenehan’s first half goal as their attention turns to league action heading in to winter.
Warrington made eight changes to the team that lost at National League Halifax in midweek, with goalkeeper Charlie Albinson making his debut having joined from Blackburn on-loan to cover for the injured Tony McMillan.
That contributed to a disjointed opening quarter of an hour, where the only bright spark came when Dominic Reid linked up nicely with Russell Benjamin, Reid’s pull-back hit just wide of the far post by Benjamin on the half volley.
Despite the one step difference between the clubs in the league pyramid, Prescot looked a match for the Yellows and they had the best chance early on when they attacked on the counter, Josh Klein-Davies getting away from his man and whistling a shot just wide of the far post.
But the biggest talking point of the first half came on 38 minutes when Reid’s ball over the top had Dylan Vassallo free and through on goal, apparently in the box, before he was scythed down by James McCullough. Inexplicably, the referee gave a free-kick right on the edge of the area as well as just a yellow card, despite McCullough being the last man and it being a clear goalscoring opportunity for Vassallo.
From the resulting free-kick, Bohan Dixon’s low drive was blocked by the Prescot wall, in a manner not too dissimilar to Marcelo Brozovic’s well publicised efforts for Inter Milan in the Champions League in midweek.
The fall out from that incident had barely died down when Prescot took the lead, the Yellows failing to clear in the box and it fell to Lenehan, who guided a low shot in to the corner with Albinson motionless.
The Evo-Stik League West Division side took the 1-0 lead in to half time, though the hosts should have restored parity three minutes in to the second period when Reid pounced on a mistake by James Cooper and was through on the ‘keeper, but went down before he could pull the trigger, claiming a penalty, which the referee waved away.
Reid would have another chance on 56 minutes, latching on to Vassallo’s clever chip through, before firing wide.
Prescot saw off the initial flurry and could have settled it 15 minutes from time when the ball was diverted goalwards by Klein-Davies, only for Adam Hughes to get back and hack off the line.
Hughes would then come closest to equalising up the other end, heading Jack Mackreth’s free-kick against the post, with Dave Raven flagged offside as he looked to put the rebound goalwards.
The game opened up as Warrington pressed for an equaliser, and former Yellows attacker Michael Monaghan could have ended the drama had he not dragged a shot wide when well placed on the edge.
The hosts should have forced a replay barely two minutes from time when Vassallo flicked on Dixon’s pass for the luckless Josh Amis, who shot wide from a central position having rooted the ‘keeper to the spot.
Warrington are next in action away at Nantwich Town in the Evo-Stik League Premier Division on Tuesday night (7.45pm kick-off).
Warrington Town: Albinson, Carden, Hughes, Garrity, George (Roberts), Raven, Reid (Mackreth), Benjamin (Evans), Amis, Dixon, Vassallo. Unused subs: Duggan, Williams.
Prescot Cables: Barnes, Cooper (Dean), Fernandes, McCulloch, Coyne, Turner (Fishwick), Almond (Southworth), Lenehan, Klein-Davies, Monaghan, Edgar. Unused subs: Hamilton, Herbert.
