Warrington Town 0 Harrogate Railway Athletic 0

WARRINGTON Town held in-form Harrogate Railway Athletic to a goalless draw in difficult conditions to preserve their unbeaten run in 2015.

The wind played a significant part as neither side could find a breakthrough, as Town made it five points from nine in the New Year.

Ash Ruane was perhaps guilty of wasting the best opportunities, including one in the second half when goalkeeper Tom Goodwin rushed out to block a shot.

Town handed a debut to midfielder Warren Beattie, signed from Northwich Victoria, while former Skelmersdale United striker Dean Astbury made his debut off the bench.

Harrogate had the first chance when league top scorer Nathan Cartman fed Lawrence Hunter, who saw his left footed drive tipped wide of the post by Karl Wills.

The hosts once again started with Ben Wharton and Ruane up front, with Chris Gahgan on the right flank, and Town’s first real sighting came when Ruane headed a Gahgan cross just over the bar.

The conditions were preventing either side from playing any real football, and Town’s only other real chance of note came when James McCarten’s tame header was saved after Louis Corrigan’s free kick had held up in the wind.

Town’s best spell came at the start of the second half. Wharton should have done better on the break, when he failed to pick out one of the many options around him and was tackled.

The best move came when a quick Scott Metcalfe throw released Ruane down the left, and his cut back to Wharton was played on for Gahgan, who was denied by the onrushing goalkeeper.

Nathan Burke then drilled a shot wide, before Ruane was released in the box and hit over the bar.

But Harrogate managed to steady the ship, and Rob Youhill was providing them with some width and options down the right, to remind Warrington that they were still a threat.

Twice Wills was called in to action late on, first to deny Cartman and right at the death from a one-on-one.

As time wore on, a goal was looking less likely, and the best opportunity fell to substitute Astbury, heading wide from Stephen Tames’ curling cross.

Warrington are next in action on Tuesday night, when they travel to the Midlands to take on Rushall Olympic in the Doodson Sport Cup.

Warrington: Wills, Field, Corrigan, Beattie, McCarten, Hardwick, Gahgan (Astbury), Burke, Wharton, Ruane, Metcalfe (Tames). Unused subs: Beesley, Doughty, Bannister.

Harrogate: Goodwin, Mycode (Coates), Kidd, Heath, Morgan, Thirkell, Youhill, Ibrahimi, Cartman, Farquharson (Bromley), Hunter (Manning). Unused subs: Wood, Ashforth.