JAMES McCarten is hoping Warrington Town’s new recruits can help fire the club towards promotion.

The 24-year-old defender praised the signings of forwards Steven Tames and Lee Gaskell, who join the Yellows from higher-ranked Hyde and Ramsbottom United respectively.

And the former Everton trainee has already been impressed by his new teammates.

“They are the type of players we needed,” said McCarten. “I played against Lee Gaskell a few times when he was at Rammy and saw his quality then.

“They’ve done well. Their quality was seen away to Ossett Albion (a 3-0 win in which the pair started together in attack and Gaskell scored). They gave us the extra 10 per cent we needed.

“I suppose we haven’t scored too many this season, but hopefully now, with bringing a few forwards in, they’re going to help us.”

McCarten, who had a brief loan spell at Accrington Stanley before joining Welsh Premier League side Aberystwyth Town, also hopes the Yellows’ FA Cup run can spur them on in the league.

“It’s brilliant for the club, with all the coverage they have had and the financial backing they’ve got. It really has put the club on the map and hopefully they can go on and achieve good things in the league this season.

“All the lads are going for promotion now. Shaun has told us he wants to win the league. Maybe this can give us a boost to go on in the league.”

The window cleaner-come-catalogue model was gutted for the run to come to an end at Gateshead on Sunday, but acknowledges what an achievement it was for the club to reach the second round.

“It’s been brilliant for the club, brilliant for the lads and our families,” he added. “There were loads who went down to Gateshead and it’s been great.

“It’s been a rollercoaster really, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.”

And McCarten has enjoyed Warrington Town’s time in the spotlight.

“I’ve experienced the cameras before but not to this extent,” he explained. “The FA Cup is one of the biggest competitions in the world and it’s been unbelievable to be on BBC in the first round, then BT in the second.

“You start getting recognised - ‘is that you on the telly!’ - but the lads are gutted now.”

The defender was also keen to show his appreciation for the Yellows fans who travelled with them on the FA Cup journey.

“They were brilliant. We stayed at the end for a good five minutes and gave them a clap as we couldn’t ask for any more from them to be honest,” he said.

“It does make a big difference. In the Exeter game they really did spur us on and were like a 12th man.”

As for Sunday’s game itself, McCarten was proud of the way his teammates battled but admits they faced a difficult task after going a goal behind seven minutes in.

“To be up against a full time side, I think fitness and sharpness showed even though the lads dug in and gave their all,” he said.

“They came out the first 20, 25 minutes and knocked it around sharp. They knocked the wind out of us. After the goal it was hard to get back into it.

“When you’re chasing the game against a side that keep the ball, it’s difficult. Without creating too much, the plan was to stay in the game as long as we could.

“The last goal in the 90th minute killed it.”