Mols and Amis strike as Yellows close in on play-off spot

Two early goals sent Warrington Town on their way to a comfortable win away at Atherton Collieries.

Stefan Mols scored from the penalty spot after a handball and then Josh Amis headed home inside the first 20 minutes.

The win consolidates the Yellows’ play-off spot – they remain three points ahead of sixth spot and are now within two of third place Matlock, who they face next weekend.

The Yellows made a positive start to the game playing up the hill at the Skuna Stadium and forced a handful of early corners.

From one of those, Isaac Buckley-Ricketts flicked a shot off the top of the bar and then Jay Harris had a volley blocked.

They were getting some success down the Atherton left-hand channel, and it was from here that the first goal came.

Jack Mackreth scampered on to Josh Amis’ well won flick on half way, got outside Danny Lafferty and crossed in, only for it to be blocked by Lafferty’s outstretched hand.

The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot, and up stepped Mols to send ‘keeper Danny Taberner the wrong way for 1-0.

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The Yellows’ control and positivity continued and from another corner, Evan Gumbs headed against the far post.

They didn’t have to wait long for a second goal though, Mitch Duggan’s long throw flicked on by Amis and it crept in at the back post for 2-0 inside 19 minutes.

Mols twice got in behind and forced an intervention from Taberner as the Yellows pressed for a third.

A counter-attack from Buckley-Ricketts resulted in Amis fizzing a shot inches wide of the post.

The home side did gradually work their way in to the match in the final 15 minutes of the first half.

Minutes after a friovolous appeal for a handball, Colls felt they were denied a penalty when Gaz Peet went down under a Duggan challenge in the box – Peet and skipper Lafferty booked for their subsequent protests.

But Dan Atherton was largely a spectator, and he was only once called in to action, making a comfortable catch from a speculative Elliot Rokka shot.

The closest Colls came was when former Yellows striker Marcus Cusani failed to make contact with Aaron Smith’s teasing cross in the box, and then when Cusani himself pulled a ball back that was just beyond Smith.

The Yellows saw the game out and now welcome relegation haunted Witton Albion on Easter Monday before rounding off the regular season away at Matlock next Saturday.

Atherton Collieries: Taberner, Battersby, Peet, Amado, Lafferty, Defreitas-Hansen, Anton Smith (Fannon), Lambert, Rokka (Lenehan), Aaron Smith, Cusani. Unused subs: Kershaw, C Smith, Katumba.

Warrington Town: Atherton, Duggan, Clarke (Regan), Harris, Roberts, Gumbs, Mackreth (Williams), Mols, Amis, Dixon, Buckley-Ricketts (Grivosti). Unused subsL Duffy, Hough.