Report: Warrington Town 1-2 Needham Market

Newly-promoted Needham Market sent Warrington Town tumbling to a second successive home defeat with their first win in the National League North.

Goals at either end of the first half from Tevan Allen and Jake Dye fired the Suffolk side in to a deserved lead that they never really looked like surrendering, despite Evan Gumbs’ header 14 minutes from time.

The Yellows’ starting line-up was unchanged from the late defeat to Farsley Celtic on Bank Holiday Monday, but that meant they were without the experience of Peter Clarke, Jay Harris and Josh Amis all sidelined through injury.

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With Ollie Southern also missing, Warrington’s injury woes were further compounded when Murphy Bennett hobbled off at the first half drinks break, forcing Matt Grivosti to deputise at right back.

They could hardly have got off to a worse start when Adam Mills won the ball back high up the pitch, and though his ball to Jamie McGrath was behind its intended target, a poor clearance fell to Allen who drove a shot in to the bottom corner after just four minutes.

It could have been worse for the hosts 15 minutes later, Seth Chambers sweeping home from a McGrath cross, only to be denied by an offside flag.

The Yellows had a couple of half chances that both fell to Gez Sithole, the first dragged wide from eight yards and the second a stooping header that he perhaps should have done better with after the ‘keeper failed to deal with a Connor Woods cross.

Bennett’s replacement Joe Rodwell-Grant forced two saves out of Marcus Granham just before half-time, his looped header tipped over before a smart turn and shot was parried away.

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But the visitors dealt a killer blow in first half injury time, Allen sliding a ball in to space for Dye, marauding forward from right back, to slide the ball under the onrushing Dan Atherton for 2-0.

There weren’t many chances in the second half, Matty McDonald coming closest when he crashed the ball against the crossbar on 58 minutes, until Gumbs headed home from a Woods corner to give the hosts hope.

The closest they came to finding an equaliser was from the same combination, Gumbs heading wide from a Woods corner in injury time, as they fell to a fourth defeat from six at the start of the season.

Post-match reaction

Hear from manager Mark Beesley following Saturday’s defeat.

Match facts

Warrington Town: Atherton, White, Hannigan, Gumbs, Woods, O’Neill (Miles 60), McDonald, Bennett (Rodwell-Grant 29), Dixon (Gill 70), Sithole, Grivosti. Unused subs: Roper, Smalley.

Needham Market: Garnham, Dye, Smith, K Morphew, D Morphew (Lay 68), Chambers (Curtis 78), Allen, McGrath, Mills (Fraser 90), Hunter (Jessup 78), Tomlinson.

Goals: Gumbs (76) / Allen (4), Dye (45)

Yellow Cards: Morphew (55)

Attendance: 839

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