Report: Warrington Town 1-2 Radcliffe

Warrington Town were dumped out of the FA Cup at the first stage for the second successive season as they went down 2-1 to Radcliffe.

Jordan Hulme struck the winner five minutes into injury time to complete a comeback for the visitors, started by Hulme’s tap-in midway through the second half, to secure their first win of the season.

The Yellows had taken the lead deep in to first half injury time through a wonderful Connor Woods free-kick, part-way through 12 added minutes as a result of an injury to Radcliffe defender Brad Roscoe.

There was little in the game between the two National League North sides, who have both had slow starts to the league campaign, and neither ‘keeper really made a save in the whole game.

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There were some interesting individual battles, particularly between Callum Rowe and Matty McDonald in midfield, and the most noteworthy incidents in the first half other than the late goal were yellow cards.

The first went to Jamie Morgan, who brought down Josh Miles 25 yards out from a counter attack after Miles had charged down a Radcliffe corner and travelled 70 yards.

McDonald was then booked for a high foot on Roscoe, which ultimately resulted in a lengthy stoppage and Roscoe being forced off due to possible concussion effects, and he received treatment on the pitch for several minutes to tend to a cut.

The only sights at goal came for the Yellows, Jay Harris drilling a 30 yard shot wide and then McDonald hitting a rising shot over from a good position.

Eight minutes in to the added time, Woods stepped up a curled a fine 25 yard free kick in the top corner to give the Yellows the lead.

Radcliffe had their best chance of the match just two minutes in to the second half, a nice one-two getting Morgan to the byline and his cross found Scott Duxbury at the back post who was denied at point blank range by Matt Grivosti.

The Yellows could have sealed the game on 52 minutes when Bohan Dixon was released through on goal, everybody stopped, and he slid his shot past the ‘keeper but wide of the far post.

After another lengthy stoppage to deal with an incident in the crowd, the introduction of Kyle Campbell off the bench swung the game in Radcliffe’s favour.

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He had barely been on a minute when he looped a ball in to the box for the excellent Josh Wardle, to square for Hulme to sweep home from six yards.

A replay looked inevitable for much of the remaining time, until Rowe clipped a ball over the top and Hulme lashed home the winner on the half volley in front of the away supporters to send them in to raptures.

The two club’s respective Under 18s side meet each other on the same pitch this Tuesday night in the FA Youth Cup (7pm kick-off).

Warrington Town’s first team are next in action at home to Spennymoor Town next Saturday.

Post-match reaction

Manager Mark Beesley reacts to Saturday’s FA Cup exit.

Match facts

Warrington Town (4-2-3-1): Atherton; Grivosti, Gumbs, Hannigan, White; Harris, Dixon; Woods, McDonald (O’Neill 84), Miles (Sithole 72); Rodwell-Grant (Bennett 86). Unused subs: Roper, Gill, Southern.

Radcliffe (4-2-2-2): Hewelt; Morgan (Jackson 79), Roscoe (Riley 17), Wardle, Duxbury; Rowe, Maynard; Sargent, Dudley (Campbell 68); Hulme (Adams 90), Hancock (Modi 79). Unused subs: Navarro, Bange.

Goals: Woods (45) / Hulme (69, 90)

Yellow cards: McDonald (9), Dixon (45) / Morgan (5), Rowe (49), Campbell (75), Modi (90)

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