Warrington Town 1-0 Mickleover Sports

Warrington Town secured back-to-back wins with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Mickleover Sports.

A first half Matthew Chadwick penalty after Scott Sephton had been fouled in the box proved enough for Paul Carden’s men, who were given a test by John McGrath’s visitors.

Big scores elsewhere mean the Yellows stay fifth in the table, three points behind early leaders Matlock Town after five games.

An injury-hit Yellows side could only name four subs, including goalkeeper coach James Speare, and they should have fell behind within six minutes. Veteran former Premier League striker Lee Hughes, now 43, was making his first start for Mickleover and he forced a point blank stop out of Tony McMillan from barely two yards out after successive corners.

In a relatively open first half, Chadwick was causing Mickleover problems by dropping deep and getting on the ball, his drive forward and shot going just wide of the right hand post of Nathan Broome, Mickleover’s Warrington-born ‘keeper on loan from Stoke City.

Another drive from Chadwick, this time starting out on the right touchline, resulted in a firm left-foot shot being beaten away by the accomplished Broome.

What turned out to be the only goal of the game came on 25 minutes, a ball in to the box by Jack Mackreth fell to the feet of Scott Sephton, who was brought down as he turned his man.

With Mackreth having missed from the spot in the Bank Holiday Monday win over Bamber Bridge, Chadwick was given the penalty duties, and he duly obliged, calmly sending the ‘keeper the wrong way.

The only other chance of note in the first half came on the stroke of half time, a deep free kick by Alex Byrne headed across goal by Ben Garrity for Tony Gray, who saw his header come back off defender Karel Tvaroh.

Either side of the half time whistle, theatrics from Hughes caused a bit of commotion, with the Yellows bench first incensed by an apparent elbow on Mitch Duggan, and then angered by the striker’s pleas for a free-kick right in front of the home dugout.

The start to the second half was a bitty one, and Mickleover centre back Greg Young was booked for berating the referee for not allowing them to take a quick free-kick just inside the Yellows half.

The visitors had the better of large parts of the second half, keeping the ball well and forcing the Yellows in to retreat.

Despite that, they struggled to create clear cut chances, McMillan’s only work prior to the hour coming when he steered away Tvaroh’s cross with his legs.

The ‘keeper was thankful for James McCarten’s clearing up in the final 10 minutes having been caught in no man’s land, but the ‘keeper was tidy in his work on a number of set pieces from the excellent Mason Warren.

Warrington had a chance to finish it in the last minute, a strong run by Garrity ending in a shot whistling wide and with the last action of the match, both Mackreth and Josh Amis somehow contrived not to score having found their way in to the goalmouth in injury time.

With three wins in five to start the season, Warrington take their unbeaten away run to Cheshire rivals Nantwich Town on Tuesday night.

Warrington Town: McMillan, Duggan, Barnes, Sephton, Roberts, McCarten, Byrne (Dixon), Garrity, Gray (Amis), Chadwick (Raven), Mackreth. Unused subs: Speare.

Mickleover Sports: Broome, Tvaroh, Turner, Warren, Mills, Young, Cadman (Junek), Scott, Hughes, Bacon (Modest), Batchelor. Unused subs: Boula, Ravenhill, Fairbrother.