Report: Alfreton Town 1-1 Warrington Town

Warrington Town’s return to National League North action saw them come away from their trip to in-form Alfreton Town with a point on Saturday.

Matty Grivosti’s goal on the stroke of half time cancelled out an early own-goal from Peter Clarke and allowed the Yellows to build on their victory over King’s Lynn Town last time out in the league.
The result leaves them 15th in the National League North table with 14 points from their 11 league games.

Manager Mark Beesley was forced into a late reshuffle of his side as defender Tom Hannigan dropping out through illness, and their last-minute switch to a back four saw them almost caught cold inside the first few minutes by the hosts, with Jake Day firing over the bar having been sent through on goal.

Alfreton had built a four-match winning streak in all competitions leading into this game and the long throw of Adam Lund had been identified as a key threat pre-match.

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Sure enough, its first use saw the deadlock broken as the midfielder sent a missile into the area and a back-pedalling Clarke could only glance the ball past a helpless Dan Atherton from close range.

There was precious little goalmouth action after that in what was a scrappy game but just as Town were contemplating a half-time deficit, they struck.

Atherton bravely carried the ball way out of his own goal under pressure and launched a pinpoint long ball for Isaac Buckley-Ricketts to latch onto. His effort beat Reds keeper George Willis but rebounded off the post, only for Grivosti to bundle home the rebound.

Buoyed by that goal, the Yellows stepped up the intensity after half-time as they sought to complete the turnaround but again, clear-cut chances were at a premium.

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The same was true at the other end but the long throw of Lund remained a big weapon and almost forced another own goal, with Grivosti glancing just wide of the post under pressure.

Nathan Newall then curled a free kick comfortably over the bar while Connor Woods had a shot charged down at the other end as the two sides were forced to settle for a point.

Alfreton Town: Willis, Clackstone, Lund (Perritt), Digie, Wiley, Cantrill, Day (Taylor), Waldock, Salmon (Oliver), Fewster, Newall. Subs not used: Brisley, Askew.

Warrington Town: Atherton, Walker, White, Woods, Williams, Dixon, Buckley-Ricketts, Duggan, Wisdom, Grivosti (Buckley), Clarke. Subs not used: Goudie, Hannigan, Gill, Bennett.

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