Report: Colls 1-2 Warrington Town

By far one of the biggest tests of this pre-season campaign came on Saturday as Paul Carden’s Warrington Town were welcomed to the Kensite. A quite typical, non-descript game of football unfolded between the two sides, the visitors eventually running out 2-1 winners in what was a good test for Clegg’s men. Straight from the off Warrington’s quality shone through, Colls had hardly touched the ball when the football league chasing side took the lead on three minutes. The troublesome Shaun Beeley whipped a superb ball from the right side to forward Ruban Jurome twenty yards out. First time, Jerome riffled the ball into the top left hand corner. A fine goal from a top forward. The Colls struggled in their attempts to provide a response to this. A foul on the edge of the area on 14 minutes, however, presented Mark Truffas with an opportunity to draw level. Unfortunately, the usually on-target Truffas drilled the ball just wide. Encouraged by this, Truffas did eventually pull a goal back for Atherton five minutes later. Once played forward, the experienced winger collected inside the area before he slotted underneath the on-rushing Ben Ascroft. A smart finish indeed. Town, not happy with a rare mistake at the back, fought back and almost instantly reclaimed the lead, the ball bouncing across the Colls’ line before it was thumped away. Five minutes later though, the Wire scored a second. Sean Williams, rather ambitiously, released an effort thirty yards from goal. Once again, Reid was helpless as it sailed over him and into the back of the net. The Collieries only had one other opportunity to once again draw level before the interval. Johnny Gorman, who had a great game, cut inside and unleashed an effort on goal. Deflected, the ball landed in the feet of Darryl Mason. The forward collected, turned, but fired well over the bar. This game didn’t provide much in the way of entertainment as the 156 in attendance saw more of the same, the Colls getting the better of the chances. Ascroft was forced into a fine save on 58 minutes with Truffas on-target, this time from a left sided free kick. The rest of the half was made up of half chances here and there. Pressure on the Town goal from successive corners came to nothing, and Reid was called upon a couple of times to deal with weak efforts. Ultimately though it was to be the visitors that took the spoils in what was a typical pre-season outing. Clegg and his team can, and did, take encouragement from the game as, on numerous occasions, his lads matched and outsmarted the ambitious Premier Division outfit. Old friends Daisy Hill up next, Monday night football is back. Match Report - Zach Pierce Photo - Ian Monk