Curzon Ashton 3

Warrington Town 2

WITH only three games left to play Warrington Town face a nail-biting finish to the season.

Their bid to clinch promotion to the UniBond League was not helped on Saturday when their 12-match unbeaten North West Counties Soccer League Division One run came to an end following a below par performance at Curzon Ashton.

But Warrington still have it in their own hands to secure a fifth-placed finish which should guarantee higher flight football next season.

A sluggish Warrington, who had defender Lee Webster and key midfielder Terry Nestor missing through suspension and striker Chris Moores absent with a knee injury, only came to life in the closing 13 minutes of Saturday's game.

Sloppy defending had resulted in Curzon building up a 3-0 lead at the midway point of the second half.

The introduction of top goal scorer Graeme Mitchell and midfielder Chris Bermingham then clicked Warrington into gear.

Mike Heverin struck first, scoring his eighth goal in eight games from the penalty spot after being tripped inside the area.

Defender Matty Farrell then celebrated his first goal for the club with a vicious long range shot which flew into the net off the underside of the crossbar.

But Warrington's recovery came too late in the match and time ran out as they desperately sought to salvage some reward from what had been, despite their late flourish, a bitterly disappointing performance.

Team: Terry O'Hanlon, Matty Farrell, Lee Smith, Ryan Barnhill (Chris Bermingham, 54mins), Lee Riley, Gary Jones, Dave Tickle, Steve Latham (Graeme Mitchell, 67mins), Mike Heverin, Phil Mitchell, Stuart Harkness.

Town visit Glossop North End on Saturday, kick-off 3pm, before meeting Bacup Borough at Cantilever Park on Tuesday, kick-off 7.45pm.

Colin Serjent