Report: FC United of Manchester 2-2 Warrington Town

Warrington Town missed an opportunity to close the gap on the promotion chasers as they squandered a 2-0 lead to draw away at FC United of Manchester.

The Yellows found themselves in a great position against former manager Mark Beesley’s side when Reece Daly doubled their lead seven minutes into the second half.

But FC United turned the screw and dominated the final 20 minutes, getting a goal back through former Yellows striker Jordan Buckley with 11 to play, and Buckley then won a penalty off Troy Bourne to enable Jay Fitzmartin to equalise from the penalty spot.

The Yellows handed a debut to new goalkeeper Jamie Jones and Kallan Murphy started for the first time since August, with Max Thompson rested as a precaution.

Both sides had half looks in the opening 15 minutes, but it was the Yellows that took the lead on 20, when the excellent Josh Vela won a challenge and fed Joe Rodwell-Grant in the box, and his pull back was scrambled home from close range by Murphy for his first goal for the club.

It took until the end of the half for FC United to create anything of note, Buckley firing in to the side netting before he released Michael Donohue through on goal on the stroke of half-time, Jones standing up well to make a good save.

Leading 1-0 for the fourth consecutive game, the Yellows doubled their lead on 52 minutes when Murphy won a header from Jay Harris’ free-kick and Daly found enough room in the box to get a shot away through Dan Atherton in the FC United goal.

Joe Rodwell-Grant had a shot saved by Atherton and then Katia Kouyate whistled a half-volley agonisingly wide of the far post, but the last half-hour of the match belonged to FC United.

Jones repeated his save of the first half to deny Donohue, again through on goal, before Buckley headed over the bar from Matt Grivosti’s cross.

Jones saved well from Fitzmartin but could do nothing when Fitzmartin’s accurate cross was headed into the corner by Buckley.

The momentum was all with FC United attacking the popular end at Broadhurst Park, and the goal eventually came from the penalty spot. Buckley was released down the right channel and he was too quick for Bourne, who dragged him down as he entered the penalty area and the referee pointed to the spot.

Fitzmartin stepped up and sent the ‘keeper the wrong way.

FC United sensed they could find a winner and Buckley fired a shot in to the side netting, before a number of blocks saw off a chance.

But the Yellows dug in and managed to see out five minutes of injury time for a point that they perhaps would have taken before kick-off, though it remains an opportunity missed to close the gap on the play-off places.

FC United of Manchester: Atherton, Thomson, Green, Wisdom, Palinkas, Evans (Sudworth), Grivosti, Ennis (Fitzmartin), Grewal, Buckley, Donohue. Unused subs: Sithole, Misambo, Dielunvuidi.

Warrington Town: Jones, Melhado, J Doyle, Gumbs, Bourne, Vela, Rodwell-Grant (Morris), Harris, Murphy (Brazier), Daly (Butler), Kouyate (Green). Unused sub: Lloyd.

Post-match reaction

Photo credit: Lewis McKenna