TWO late goals saw Warrington Town get the new Northern Premier League season off to a winning start at home to Morpeth Town.
The Yellows stayed patient and eventually broke the deadlock in the final minute of normal time when Isaac Buckley-Ricketts nipped across his man and fired in to the corner.
Jordan Buckley then marked his return to action with an opening day goal, latching on to Buckley-Ricketts’ through ball.
In the searing heat at Cantilever Park, Morpeth had provided a typically stern opening day opponent.
They started the better of the two sides in a game that was broken up by the referee’s whistle early doors as he booked Evan Gumbs for a foul on Dale Pearson.
Gumbs and defensive partner Tom Hannigan were in fine form, but as were Morpeth counterparts Jeff Henderson and Michael Turner as both sides found it difficult to open each other up.
The first clear chance came minutes before half time when Luke Duffy switched flanks and got down the right and whipped in a fine cross that looked like a gift for new captain Josh Amis, but he didn’t get the required connection on his header.
Duffy then had a shot pushed wide by Dan Lowson as the sides went in goalless at the break.
The game started to open up in the second half and Sean Williams warmed Lowson’s palms with a left-foot half volley off Bohan Dixon’s lobbed ball forward.
At the other end, Tony Thompson got down well to save Liam Noble’s deflected shot, before he gifted possession to Pearson who should have scored, but saw his shot smothered by the ‘keeper.
The best chance fell to Buckley-Ricketts midway through the second half, ghosting in to the box on to Williams cross but he glanced his header wide.
Buckley and Dixon both dragged shots wide and it looked like maybe the Yellows would have to settle for a point.
But when Buckley’s quick throw caught Morpeth off guard, Buckley-Ricketts nipped in front of his man from Williams’ cross, got the ball out of his feet and screwed a shot in to the corner.
The Yellows saw out the lengthy stoppage time relatively well and added icing on the cake with virtually the last kick of the game, Buckley-Ricketts releasing Buckley to find the roof of the net.
Warrington Town are next in action away at Stalybridge Celtic on Tuesday night.
Warrington Town: Thompson, Seary, White, Thompson, Hannigan, Gumbs, Harris, Buckley-Ricketts, Williams (McDonald), Amis (Buckley), Duffy (Mols). Unused subs: Putnam, Speare.
Morpeth Town: Lowson, Robson (Wombwell), Reid, Sayer, Henderson, Turner, Foalle, Noble, Pearson (Scott), Pani (Ramsey), Thomson. Unused subs: Geliher, Harvey.
