Warrington Town 0 Grantham Town 3

YELLOWS’ promotion dream was extinguished tonight as they were beaten by Grantham Town in their play-off semi-final.

Second-half strikes from Stefan Galinski, Danny Meadows and Jordan Hempenstall were enough to see the Gingerbreads through to Saturday’s promotion final.

Warrington must now rebuild over the summer for another crack at the Evo-Stik Premier Division.

They finished the game with a patched-up defence as both Jay McEveley and Jack Higgins came off injured, with winger Will Hayhurst finishing at left-back and youngster Matt Makinson coming on for his debut at centre-back.

The game was played at a breathless pace in the first half, and Grantham felt they should have had a penalty in the very first minute, but appeals for handball against Adam Carden fell on deaf ears.

Grantham pinned Yellows back early on, but the home rearguard remained strong and they started to get a foothold in the game.

Paul Carden’s side were endeavouring to keep the ball on the floor, while the visitors were happy to get the ball to dangerous frontmen Jordan Hempenstall and Lee Shaw as quickly as possible.

However, there was very little in the way of goalmouth action, with Jamie McDonald and Steve Jennings both clearing the bar with long-range efforts for Town.

At the other end, Shaw dummied a pull-back but nobody followed up before the same player advanced to the edge of the Yellows box but produced a harmless lobbed effort.

Just before the break, Town’s 15-goal midfielder Sean Williams was given the chance to add to his tally with a free kick on the edge of the Grantham box, but his effort and Hayhurst’s follow-up were both scrambled away.

The first chance of the second half fell to Yellows as Hayhurst’s deep cross fell for substitute Stephen Milne, but his close-range effort was blocked.

However, Grantham were able to take the lead just before the hour mark.

After Yellows failed to fully clear their lines after a free kick and Galinski reacted quickest to a loose ball to nod beyond Luke Pilling.

That moved Yellows into attack mode and Grantham had to desperately block efforts from Goulding and McDonald before Williams blazed an effort wide.

The best chance, though, came for the vistors when Hempenstall found himself in on goal, but could not get a clean connection.

Their second goal did come shortly afterwards when Meadows’ effort beat Pilling via a deflection.

Pilling denied Shaw one-on-one as Grantham looked more like extending their lead, which they did inside the final 10 minutes.

A cross was only half cleared and Hempenstall beat Pilling with a superb header from the edge of the area.

Warrington Town: Pilling, Adam Carden, McEveley (Milne), Jennings, Higgins (Makinson), Goulding, Kinsella, Williams, McDonald, Piggott, Hayhurst. Subs not used: Barnes, Bakare, Davis.