WARRINGTON Town’s final home game of the season ended in defeat, as they were beaten 2-1 by Hereford.
The damage was done in the first half as Hereford got two goals up, and though Josh Amis’ first goal since New Year’s day threatened a comeback, a controversial red card for Matt Grivosti all but put paid to the Yellows’ hopes.
It keeps Hereford’s unlikely play-off chances alive until the final week of the season, but it was a fifth successive home defeat for Warrington Town.
Hereford had much the better of the first half and they would have taken the lead inside three minutes but for a superb late intervention by Sean Williams, denying namesake Andy after his shot had squirmed through Dan Atherton.
There was controversy over the Hereford opener on 10 minutes, Peter Clarke seemingly fouled from a cross in to the box, and when Andre Wisdom was then dispossessed, Lewis Hudson’s deflected shot found the back of the net and the goal awarded despite Clarke’s protestations.
It was nearly two on the half hour mark when Atherton stood on the ball in his own goalmouth, gifting a chance to Williams before managing to dive on to the ball at his feet.
Hereford were threatening to runaway with the game, only a superb block by Tom Hannigan denied Aurio Teixeira, and Atherton saved well to deny Williams.
Warrington had to wait until the 43rd minute for their first real chance, Grivosti’s shot blocked on the line after Curtis Pond was left scrambling under an Evan Gumbs’ cross.
But the visitors dealt the Yellows a killer blow, counter attacking from that clearance and scoring their second, Williams tapping in at the end of the move for 2-0.
The pattern of the game didn’t change much at the start of the second half, Teixeira lashed a shot over the bar from a good position and Atherton tipped wide from the lively Yusifu Ceesay’s shot.
The Yellows gave themselves a lifeline on 56 minutes though, Williams’ ball down the right finding Amis, who cut in from the right and curled a left-foot shot inside the far corner.
Dubem Eze had a low shot saved comfortably by Pond, but the Yellows hopes were dealt another blow 20 minutes from time when Grivosti was shown a straight red card for a foul on Hudson, an apparent retribution after a similar tackle by Hudson on Grivosti had gone unpunished moments earlier.
There was little in the game after that, and Hereford were able to hang on for the three points and replicate the scoreline they won the previous meeting between these two earlier in the season.
Warrington Town: Atherton, Wisdom, Clarke, Hannigan, Gumbs, Williams, McDonald, Buckley-Ricketts (Pasiek), Grivosti, Eze (Gill), Amis. Unused subs: O’Keefe, Brooks.
Hereford: Pond, Hudson, Teixeira (Mendes), Downing, Ceesay, Babos (Phillips), Williams, D’Ath, Okeke, Obadeyi (Cowley), Howkins. Unused subs: Rooney.
