Mark Beesley: Lack of focal point cost us

Warrington Town manager Mark Beesley admits the lack of a recognised striker cost his side in Tuesday’s night’s 2-0 defeat to Gainsborough Trinity.

With captain Josh Amis, last season’s top scorer Jordan Buckley, Isaac Buckley-Ricketts and Mikey Howard all absent for the club’s latest Northern Premier League fixture, versatile Connor Woods, brought in on loan from Southport, was tasked with leading the line. 

It proved to be a difficult evening all round, however, with a first half double from Liam Waldock consigning the Yellows to a fourth league defeat of the season. 

Speaking post-match, Beesley said: “I thought they were the better team, especially in the first half. We left ourselves a mountain to climb. 

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“With the people we’ve got out injured, it’s a reason, not an excuse. With the calibre of people we have missing, it’s going to affect the team.

“We’ve got to be better at the other end as well. If you can’t score, don’t lose, and we lost. 

“We brought Connor in and he’s trying, working hard, but we haven’t got enough quality in and around him, or enough people in the box.”

Trinity’s second of the night came after the Yellows were dispossessed near their own penalty area, and Beesley has warned his players that sloppy goals must be cut out. 

“For the second goal, we gave the ball away stupidly on the edge of the box, trying to dribble out. I don’t know what we were doing,” he admitted.

“We’re giving ourselves a mountain to climb and changing things to try and get back into games, and it shouldn’t be like that. 

“If you give teams 2-0 starts, you’re not going to win many. That’s been us in a nutshell. Defensively, on the whole, apart from tonight, we’ve been decent. 

“We’ve conceded one or two chances and they’ve always gone in, and at the other end we’re conceding 10. 

“That’s a recipe for not many points.”

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One positive on the night was the return to fitness of defender Eddie Clarke, who produced a lively second half cameo in an advanced position down the left flank. 

“The lad has had poor luck with injuries, came back at the end of last year and was outstanding,” Beesley added.

“We’ve got to be careful with him because he’s been out for a long time, but it’s good to have him back as an option.”