Warrington Town 3-3 Warrington Rylands - Match Report

An unfortunate own goal in the dying embers saw a late fight back from Warrington Town after being behind by two goals twice, 2-0 and 3-1, against local Warrington rivals Rylands.

In a first half where both sides had plenty of chances, it was Rylands who dominated the early possession and had the first opening of the contest through Callum Dolan, who’s venomous strike was deflected over after a outstretched foot of a ‘Yellows’ player took the stings out of the shot.

The hosts had the ball in the back of the net early on as Josh Amis thought he bundled the ball beyond Stephen Irwin, who was stepping in net after Will Appleyard was injured and Sam Tickle was recalled by Wigan Athletic, but referee Luis Griffiths spotted a foul in the passage of play and called it back, much to the delight of Jodie Benam.

His side then enjoyed a good spell of play, with two blocked efforts from Kelly N’Mai and a teasing flicked header by Kane Drummond from a delightful John Hunt corner flying wide of the far post was suggesting that the visitors were looking the most likely to brake the deadlock.

Sean Williams and a golden miss from guilt-edge territory breathed slight new life into Town in a mini-revival before the visitors were back on top once more.

Callum Dolan warmed the gloves of Tony Thompson before the Rylands 7 got a golden chance from the penalty spot after good work by Kane Drummond in the area was halted due to a foul by Evan Gumbs. Dolan stepped up and showed great composure to slot past Thompson.

One was two within a matter of moments and that man Dolan was on hand again to fire past Thompson. This time, a delicate through ball fell perfectly to Dolan, who bust a gut to race through with pace and double the visitors advantage in the first meeting between the two since 1978.

The half came to a close when Stefan Mols’ strike looked to be creeping in before a flying body of a Rylands man came across to thwart the strike, meaning the hosts missed the chance to half the deficit and their task of recovering from that deficit became challenging.

HT: Warrington Town 0-2 Warrington Rylands

The half time team talk by Mark Beesley seemed to be working wonders, as all the pressure on Irwin’s abode inferred that the hosts were the more likely of the two to find the back of the net. Mitch Duggan, off the bench after replacing Joshua Seary, wriggled his way through a heard of challenging Rylands men. He left Callum Dolan in his wake multiple times before delivering a ball to the back post, with Josh Amis unable to keep his volley low, firing over the bar. Mols missed one similar to his forward, firing over the bar after a deep cross via another substitute, Isaac Buckley-Ricketts.

The pressure for the hosts payed dividends as Stefan Mols reduced the arrears to just one. Another deep ball was swung to the far post by Duggan, who found the head of the onrushing Amis and his header across the face was met by the diving head of Mols who swung the momentum in their favour.

Dolan almost chalked up the match ball when a swerving shot drifted wide of the post before a devastating counter-attack almost saw the ‘Yellows’ complete a second-half fight back. Luke Duffy nestled his shot into the side netting, only for the Town fans behind the goal to jump in jubilation believing their side had equalised however, it didn’t go in.

Kane Drummond increased the visitors lead when his low drive along the floor was tucked out of the reach of the diving Tony Thompson.

‘Yellows’ finished the game the stronger of the two. Evan Gumbs’ header from a free-kick led them on the right path and Luke Duffy’s deflected shot bundled out of the control of Irwin, as the ‘Yellows’ loosened the screw on Rylands lead.

The ceaseless threat of Buckley-Ricketts down the right flank for the hosts never faded throughout. With added time looming, his shot across the face tickled the outside of the post before another dangerous ball into the box deflected off a hapless James Neild and nestled into the corner of the net, giving Warrington Town the most dramatic of late equalisers in a big occasion.

The ‘Yellows’ produced one final talking point in the dying embers, as a late challenge by Bohan Dixon resulted in a straight red card for the Town 10.

FT: Warrington Town 3-3 Warrington Rylands