Warrington Town knocked out of FA Trophy

WARRINGTON Town’s return to action was shortlived as they were dumped out of the FA Trophy by a 3-1 defeat at Marske United.

The hosts were well worth their win and add the Yellows to the scalp of FC United, who they beat in the previous round in what was their last match more than a month ago.

The Yellows had been fortunate to go in level at half time, Evan Gumbs cancelling out Matthew Tymon’s opener in a first half that Marske had much the better of, and while it was a more open game in the second, goals from Curtis Round and Adam Boyes were enough to consign Warrington to another period without a game while the league season remains paused.

Marske will be among the promotion favourites this season and it wasn’t hard to see why in an all round performance, centred around experienced front pair Boyes and Munro with midfielder Glen Butterworth orchestrating things.

The pitch had passed a morning inspection, but the rain that had fallen throughout the day meant for a sodden surface that cut up easily with very little life in it in terms of the bounce of the ball.

And the Yellows struggled to get in to the game, Marske grabbing things by the scruff of the neck and dominating possession, with the visitors simply unable to get out of their own half and get a foot on the ball.

Boyes had shot wide with an early chance but the deadlock was broken on 17 minutes, as the Yellows cleared a corner and Butterworth clipped a ball back in for Tymon to break the offside trap on the far side and steer past Charlie Albinson for a goal which was eventually given after confusion between the match officials.

After Albinson had denied Butterworth, the Yellows plucked an equaliser out of nowhere, Jack Dunn crossing for Evan Gumbs to mark his first appearance of the season with a simple finish from six yards.

Gumbs was the outstanding player for the visitors, but Dunn did his best to breathe life in to the performance approaching half-time.

Marske captain Adam Wheatley could have given them a lead, screwing a shot wide in first half injury time after being allowed to waltz in to the box from a throw in.

The start of the second half was much more even as both sides looked to gain the ascendancy – only for a freak goal to put the hosts back in front.

The lively Round backed James Baillie in to the box and clipped a ball to the back post, which dropped in past an unassuming Albinson.

Albinson kept the Yellows in the tie for a 10 minute spell after that where Marske looked certain to kill the tie off – three times he denied Butterworth, as well as pushing out Connor Smith’s first time shot.

The introduction of Bohan Dixon and Jordan Buckley gave the Yellows renewed impetus and Dixon forced a save out of Ryan Catterick, who then tipped wide Dunn’s deflected effort.

The best chance for an equaliser fell to skipper Mark Roberts on 74 minutes, superbly denied by Catterick with his shot from close to the penalty spot, with Wheatley sliding in to ensure Jack Mackreth couldn’t do anything with the rebound.

The killer blow came three minutes later, Josh Amis giving the ball away on half way for Butterworth to slide through for Boyes, whose first time shot went across Albinson and slowly crept in to the far post.

The Yellows never looked like getting back in to the game after then, as Marske extended their unbeaten run at home to 18 games and booked their place in the second round draw.

Marske United: Catterick, May, Round, Butterworth, Burgess, Wheatley, Smith, Gell, Boyes, Tymon (Blackford), McTiernan (Maloney). Subs: Johnson, Hood, O’Sullivan, Clark, Wilkinson.

Warrington Town: Albinson, Baillie, Clarke, Duggan, Roberts, Gumbs, Dunn, Munro (Mackreth), Amis, Rose (Buckley), Duffy (Dixon). Subs: Edwards, Taylor.