WARRINGTON Town came away from their first away trip of 2024 with a well-earned point in a 1-1 draw at South Shields.
Sean Williams had given them a first half lead from the penalty spot after Isaac Buckley-Ricketts had been brought down in the box, and the winger had another claim for a penalty later in the half.
The hosts, under interim manager Elliott Dickman after dispensing of the services of Julio Arca, worked their way back in to the game in the second half and got an equaliser 15 minutes from time when Paul Blackett rounded the ‘keeper to score.
Williams had previously been the source of the two best chances of the first half, both from corners and both for Tom Hannigan – the first a header that fell just wide and the second a shot that was cleared off the line.
South Shields had plenty of possession without creating anything clear cut, Dan Atherton twice rushing out to the edge of his box to snuff out chances.
There were a flurry of bookings for time wasting and dissent in the middle of the half, and there was also a flashpoint when Mitch Duggan, making his 200th Yellows appearance, appeared to have something thrown at him from the crowd which saw the referee stop the game to instruct a steward.
The deadlock was broken on the half hour mark when Buckley-Ricketts skipped inside Gary Liddle and was body checked, Williams lashing home from the spot for his fourth goal of the season.
Jed Abbey guided a shot wide in Shields’ only meaningful chance of the first half before Buckley-Ricketts again went down in the box, only for the referee to blow up against him and it remained 1-0 at the break.
It was 67 minutes until Atherton was forced in to a save, a flying one-handed one to deny Tom Broadbent’s sharp free-kick, before Blackett started to stretch the Yellows defence and eventually got the equaliser, holding off his man and then beating the goalkeeper.
Blackett had a glorious chance for a second just moments later, shooting weakly in to Atherton, and then the Yellows did well to survive a goalmouth scramble from a Robert Briggs corner.
South Shields, looking to end a seven game winless run, did get the ball in the net in the dying stages only for Michael Woods to be denied by an offside flag.
The Yellows now have three consecutive home games against Tamworth, Alfreton and Southport.
South Shields: Boney, Clarke, Adams, Liddle, Broadbent, Smith, Abbey (Heaney), Briggs, Blackett (Savage), Woods, Mongoy (Martin). Unused subs: Fletcher, Marriott.
Warrington Town: Atherto, White, Hannigan, Harris, Woods, Williams (Dixon), Amis, Buckley-Ricketts (McDonald), Duggan, Wisdom, Grivosti (Walker). Unused subs: Goudie, Clarke.
