Woodley Sports 2-1 Warrington Town

Unbeaten League Run Comes To An End

Warrington Town's eight game unbeaten run in the league came to a disappointing end as they went down 2-1 at high-flying Woodley Sports.
Town were looking to get back to winning ways after the disappointing midweek Doodson Sports League Cup defeat at Newcastle Town, with manager Joey Dunn making a number of changes to the matchday squad.
But it was the home side who started the best on the artificial surface of Lambeth Grove, dominating the majority of possession and territory early on, but not creating many opportunities on the goal of Chris Oldfield.
On a rare attack midfielder Adam Wade shot narrowly wide from the edge of the penalty area. It was Woodley's former Swansea City and Burnley midfielder Brad Maylett who was having a massive influence on the game, and went close to putting the home side ahead, only being denied by a last gasp challenge by River Humphreys, before firing the resulting ricochet narrowly over the crossbar.
It was not long before before the home side took a deserved lead, striker John Marsden getting on the end of a Maylett cross to slot home beyond an on rushing Oldfield and into the net.
Three minutes later, Marsden almost put the home side further ahead, but saw his header saved fantastically by Oldfield, diving full length to his left. Woodley continued to dominate the game against an abject Town outfit and once again almost went further ahead in the 39th minute, when River Humphreys was forced to clear from his own line after a defensive mistake by colleague Tom Hardwick.
Two minutes before half time, the home side extended their lead, winger Adam Mather picking the ball up thirty yards out, before unleashing an unstoppable angled drive into the corner of the net, which gave Oldfield absolutely no chance.
Right on the stroke of half time, Town got a goal back, with their first shot on target, Allan Collins floating corner being flicked on by Chris Thompson to the feet of recent signing Lee Madin, who swept home at the second attempt after his initial effort was blocked at close range.
Manager Joey Dunn must have had some harsh words for his players as Town produced a much improved second half performance, taking the game to their hosts and having much more of the possession and territory.
Despite this, the first chance of the half fell to Mather who shot over when well placed in the penalty area. Town thought they had found an equaliser in the 57th minute, Humphreys shooting home from a yard after Thompson saw his earlier shot blocked by the Woodley rearguard, only to see the assistant referee raise his flag for offside.
Just after the hour, Town once again almost found an equaliser, Madin reaching a bouncing throughball before Woodley's on rushing keeper Chris Kettings, only to see his lobbed effort from the edge of the penalty are, fall narrowly the wrong side of the upright.
Despite dominating the game, Town almost fell to a sucker punch as the Woodley centre half Mitchell Speer found himself unmarked in the penalty area, only to see his free header somehow miss the target from four yards out. As the game entered it's last quarter, Town went close to scoring once again, Thompson volleying over from twelve yards after a knock down by Chris Gahgan.
Two minutes later, Town had a great shout for a penalty turned down, as Madin was clearly pulled down in the box, only for referee Mr Bramhall to wave away the protests of the Town players. Gahgan was next go close, volleying Collins excellent cross narrowly over the crossbar. Despite this much improved second half performance, Town could not find an equalising goal.

Team:

Chris Oldfield, Mike Duffy, Louis Corrigan, River Humphreys, Tom Hardwick (C), Adam Wade, Allan Collins, Matt Cross, Lee Madin ( Liam Shipton , 85 ), Chris Thompson, Chris Gahgan

Subs Not Used:

Jamie Henders, Nick Jackson, Rob Winrow, George Emson