Report: Warrington Town 1-1 Leamington

Match report by Ernie Bratherton

Newly promoted Leamington held Warrington Town to a draw in the National League North

A Josh Miles second-half equaliser was enough to secure a point for the Yellows after falling behind to a Callum Stewart first-half effort.

Mark Beesley made two changes from Saturday’s defeat to Needham Market with Joe Rodwell-Grant and Josh Miles coming in from the start, with Mikey O’Neill dropping to the bench and Murphey Bennett missing out altogether.

With Bennett’s injury severe enough to see him miss out this evening and Ollie Southern only fit enough to occupy a place on the bench, young Matty Grivosti occupied a makeshift right-back role.

It was down the right-hand side that Leamington found early success with a free kick from William Shorrock comfortably held by Dan Atherton in goal.

The away side were forced into an early change with George Ward going off injured, Robert Evans on in his place.

The away side went close again when a Daniel Meredith cross from the right-hand side found a free Callum Stewart on the penalty spot, whose scuffed attempt was held firmly by Atherton.

With little goalmouth action in the opening quarter, the game sprung into life courtesy of Town striker Joe Rodwell-Grant. The young striker picked up a loose ball deep in the Leamington half, before twisting and turning and seeing a fierce effort go narrowly wide of Callum Hawkins’ far post.

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With Rodwell-Grant’s influence on the game growing by the minute, he sent another effort wide of the Leamington goal as the home side controlled proceedings in the opening 25 minutes.

But for all the Yellow’s dominance, it was the newly promoted side who broke the deadlock. An in-swinging corner from the far side was poorly cleared by the home side, with Leamington’s young striker Stewart in the right place at the right time sending the away side one nil to the good.

The game changed in a matter of seconds with Leamington now the side enjoying fruitful spells of possession and forcing the Town to defend in numbers as half-time drew closer.

Already blighted by injuries, Warrington saw two scares late in the first half with Atherton and Josh Miles going down under challenges with the latter seeing Anthony Lynn receive the first yellow card of the evening.

Shorrock squandered an opportunity late on after latching onto a poor clearance from Atherton, with his attempted ball to the onrushing Stewart to no avail.

Rodwell-Grant went close at the other end for the Yellows, with his fizzing ball across the six-yard area met by the resolute Daniel Meredith. But, it was the away side who went into the interval in the ascendency as Referee Alexander Beckett brought the half to a close.

Behind at the break and with much to prove after successive home defeats, the Yellows had much to ponder. However, it didn’t take the Town long to strike.

With Barely two minutes on the clock, Matty McDonald picked up the ball on the halfway line before marauding towards the Leamington penalty area. He skipped past two defenders before slipping the ball through to Josh Miles at the back post who fired past a helpless Hawkins drawing the game level at one apiece.

Warrington, with their tails up, went close again as Gez Sithole shot high and wide after beating Josh Quaynor for pace down the right-hand side.

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The scoreline now reflected the state of play with both sides going close again in search of the next goal. The tie also spiced up with McDonald and Adam Walker going into the referee’s book.

Both sides enjoyed half chances as the game fell back into a chess game with neither manager able to utilise their Queen. It was the visitors and manager Paul Holleran who made the first move with the diminutive Edward Rowe replacing Shorrock and Joe Doyle-Charles leaving the field with Jack Edwards on in his place.

Tom Hanningan went agonisingly close for the home side, with a Connor Woods corner finding the centre-half’s head with his effort striking the base of Hawkins’ post before the referee’s whistle stopped a certain Town goal.

The Yellows strikers dominated the Leamington defence all evening in and out of possession, with the young pairing of Rodwell-Grant and Sithole doing everything but find the back of the net.

As the fourth official indicated there would be six minutes of additional time Leamington substitute Edward Rowe was the latest to be booked for a late challenge on Grivosti.

Adam Walker fizzed a dangerous ball across the Town’s six-yard area which was well collected by Atherton as the final whistle drew near.

Skipper Bohan Dixon couldn’t find the onrushing Sithole in the Town’s last chance of the 90 while the visitors saw a long throw cleared well by the Warrington defence as referee Beckett brought the game to a close.

The points are shared at the Cal.Delivery Stadium as the Yellows end a two-game losing streak at home to Leamington and now turn the attention to next Saturday against early league leaders Scunthorpe United before returning back home to face Radcliffe FC in the FA cup.

Post-match reaction

Hear from manager Mark Beesley following Tuesday evening’s draw.

Match facts

Warrington Town: Atherton, White, Hannigan, Gumbs, Woods, Rodwell-Grant, McDonald, Dixon, Sithole, Miles, Grivosti. Unused Subs: Roper, O’Neill, Gill, Smalley, Southern.

Leamington: Hawkins, Meredith, Quaynor, Doyle-Charles (Edwards 78’), Streete, Walker, Stewart, Shorrock (Rowe 77’), Ward (Evans 8’), Williams, Lynn. Unused subs: Berridge, Elliott.

Goals: Miles 47’ / Stewart 27’

Yellow Cards: McDonald 57’, Woods 86’ / Lynn 38’, Walker 58’, Rowe 90’

Attendance: 723

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