Pictures John Hopkins
IT was another frustrating night for Warrington Town as they shared the points in a 3-3 draw at home to Grantham Town.
A second half comeback spared their blushes as they fought from 3-1 down against a team that hasn’t won away in the league all season.
Scott Brown’s brace either side of substitute Josh Amis’ strike meant an 11th draw in the league for the Yellows as their play-off push continues to falter.
More than two weeks since their last league game, a defeat at Lancaster City, there was hope that the break had enabled Paul Carden’s side to regroup.
But they were lacklustre and uninspiring against their out of form opponents, who had at least been boosted by the news earlier in the day regarding a new ownership of the club, as they look to battle away from the relegation places that they currently occupy.
Jack Mackreth, so often the main outlet for the Yellows on the right, had a couple of encouraging early wins against left-back Connor Bartle, the best run of which ended with a fizzing cross that was well cleared by Curtis Obeng.
The warning signs were there though for the hosts with the ease in which Grantham were progressing through a midfield where Warrington were painfully missing Ben Garrity, in their first home league game since his departure to Football League side Blackpool.
They were punished on 20 minutes, a second phase play from a free-kick saw the ball clipped in for veteran striker Lee Hughes to flick on for Akeel Francis to sweep in at the back post.
It could have been two a couple of minutes later, Hughes – playing at Cantilever Park for a second time this season having earlier starred for Mickleover Sports – turned inside the box and opened up his body for a left foot shot that Mark Roberts just about managed to deflect wide.
As it was, there was a quick second goal – in the form of an equaliser. A free-kick won by Luke Wall chasing a lost cause on the left edge of the box, enabled Scott Brown to whip in a delivery that went all the way in to the far corner having evaded a leaping Bohan Dixon.
But Grantham would restore their lead two minutes later, Francis turning to find Joel Carta and with the Yellows defence back tracking, Carta fired a low drive past Tony McMillan.
It should have been four goals in eight minutes when Tony Gray and Mackreth hunted down a hesitant Grantham defence, only for Mackreth to squeeze his shot agonisingly wide of the far post.
The game calmed down for a spell until Warrington were dealt a further blow in first half injury time, a long throw flicked on for Francis to flick home and the Yellows were staring at the barrel, 3-1 down.
Their lifeline came shortly after the hour mark, substitute Amis found in space just outside the box and he finished well to the keeper’s left.
Amis could have had two more moments later, first heading low to the left of Jon Worsnop, who managed to push it out, and then blazing over the bar from a similar position to the goal.
The equaliser came on 72 minutes, Worsnop spilling Adam Carden’s cross and then bringing down Gray for a soft penalty – up stepped Brown to coolly slot home for 3-3.
There only looked like being one winner as Grantham retreated in the final quarter, but the Yellows couldn’t break them down, to the frustration of the home crowd, and it was yet another two points dropped in the hunt for promotion.
The Yellows are back in action at home to Scarborough on Saturday.
Warrington Town: McMillan, Carden, Warren, Dixon, Roberts, Raven, Mackreth (Banister), Brown, Buckley (Amis), Gray, Wall (Vassallo). Unused subs: Duggan, Nelson.
Grantham Town: Worsnop, Obeng, Bartle, Skarz, Robertson, Dunn, Berrett, Carta, Hughes (Campbell), Francis, Morrison (Aromolaran). Unused subs: Bilson, Smith, Racchi.
