STRUGGLING Congleton Town earned a morale-boosting victory on Tuesday night after facing a grilling from

angry manager Sean Connor.

The players were called in for training on Sunday after their dismal showing the day before in the 3-0 defeat at Winsford United.

The defeat was the Bears' ninth of the season, and they were second from bottom before Tuesday's home clash with bottom side Flixton.

Congleton were transformed on Tuesday from the lacklustre side who faced Winsford, and earned their second win of the season with a spirited 2-1 victory.

Flixton could have been four up in the first half, with forward Coyne missing two golden opportunities and Bears' keeper Tim Mullock pulling off two tremendous saves.

Congleton took the lead three minutes before the interval when Jimmy Byrne hoisted a huge up and under into the Flixton box.

The ball dropped four yards off the line, and the Flixton keeper dropped it under pressure from Darren Baker, who knocked it in.

Baker scored his second two minutes into the second half when he took the ball on his chest and lobbed the keeper as he came out.

He could have had his third, but put his shot just wide.

Congleton faced a tense last few minutes after Coyne pulled one back for Flixton.

The referee awarded the visitors a penalty on 87 minutes for a foul on Coyne by John Johnston.

"We deserved the victory, and our performance was like chalk and cheese compared to Saturday," said Congleton treasurer Ken Mead.

"The players were really up for it on Tuesday, whereas on Saturday our performance was bitterly disappointing.

"We had played less than 48 hours earlier, and some of the players looked tired and jaded."

Winsford took the lead on 27 minutes when Miranda volleyed home past Mullock from 15 yards out.

They made it 2-0 six minutes into the second half when a ball from Jimmy Byrne hit a player and bounced back over the Congleton defenders to Worthington.

He raced forward and slid it past Mullock as he came out.

Winsford sealed victory with a third on 75 minutes, a winger riding two challenges before playing the ball square for Worthington to score.

The Bears lost 2-0 on Thursday at Chester City in the first round of the Cheshire Senior Cup.

Chester took the lead five minutes into the second half, Blackburn placing the ball past Mullock from 10 yards.

Nippy number nine Harhoff made it 2-0 on 65 minutes with a shot from 15 yards out.

Congleton travel to Prescot Cables tomorrow, and are at home to Winsford next Tuesday.