Warrington Town 0 Bamber Bridge 3

WARRINGTON Town’s festive fixture programme of five games in 15 days got off to the worst possible start as they were humbled 3-0 by Bamber Bridge.

Alistair Waddecar scored a first half brace and then laid one on a plate for strike partner Andrew Bell for the visitors, who knocked Warrington out of the play-offs on their last visit to Cantilever Park in April.

There were plenty of chances at both ends in an entertaining first half, but Warrington offered little in attack going forward as their recent league revival following the famous FA Cup run suffered a blip.

Town had the better of the first quarter, and could have led as early as six minutes, when Scott Metcalfe’s low ball across the six yard box evaded frontman Stephen Tames, making his home debut.

Captain David Mannix was causing Bamber Bridge problems with his set piece deliveries, with one deep corner headed wide by Tames.

The best chance fell to Ben Wharton, who raced on to Craig Robinson’s long ball. He got the ball under control but waited too long to pull the trigger, and that enabled Phil Doughty to get back and poke the ball wide for a corner.

That miss proved costly as Bamber Bridge took the lead on 24 minutes. Waddecar won a free kick out on the left after a foul by Nathan Burke, and his wicked delivery in to the box went all the way in to the far corner of the goal for 1-0.

The goal didn’t deter Town, who continued to create opportunities at the other end.

A Metcalfe mis-kick fell to Wharton in the box, and he was again hesitant, which enabled a defender to get an important block in.

The killer blow came 10 minutes before the break. More neat play by Bamber Bridge on the edge of the area saw the ball played in for Waddecar, and he finished sublimely across Karl Wills in the Warrington goal.

Again that didn’t halt Warrington’s attacking spirit, as Robbie Booth saw his low drive well blocked by the goalkeeper, before Burke had a first time strike deflected just wide.

At the start of the second half, Metcalfe put in another teasing cross which came to nothing, and then Bamber Bridge tightened up at the back and started to see the game out.

They eventually grabbed a third, the excellent Waddecar, on a hat-trick, waltzing through the defence and then unselfishly setting up Bell for a tap in round Wills.

It could have been four near the end but for an excellent Wills save, while Metcalfe saw a late consolation disallowed for offside.

Warrington must re-group now for a trip to Prescot Cables on Boxing Day, before another home game against New Mills on Sunday week (December 28th).

Warrington: Wills, Field, Corrigan (Beesley), Mannix, McCarten, Robinson, Booth (Colbeck), Burke, Tames, Wharton (Ruane), Metcalfe. Unused subs: Hardwick, Doughty.

Bamber Bridge: Campbell, Mahoney, Steel (Alexander), Lawler, Doughty, Kay, Wiles (Pickup), Vasey (Parish), Bell, Waddercar, Marlow.