Town earn last-gasp point at league leaders Skelmersdale (From Warrington Guardian)

Town earn last-gasp point at league leaders Skelmersdale

10:08am Monday 11th March 2013 in Latest news

Skelmersdale 1 Warrington Town 1

IT took a 90th minute equaliser from former Skelmersdale midfielder Phil Mooney to earn Warrington Town a point against the Evo-Stik Division One North leaders.

Warrington manager Shaun Reid handed a debut to new signing Nat Kerr, who joined the club from Conference North outfit Droylsden earlier in the week, slotting him in at centre half and moving captain Peter Dogan into midfield.

The first half of the game will not live long in the memory bank for those who were present inside Stormy Corner, with both sides struggling to create more than half chances on the oppositions goal.

It was not until 30 minutes that a worthwhile chance presented itself, Town striker Jon Newby seeing his angled lob beat a retreating Skelmersdale keeper Sam Ashton only to fall on the roof of the net.

Town were then denied a penalty when midfielder David Mannix's shot from the edge of the area hit the arm of Skelmersdale centre back Rob McIntosh, but referee Mr Mather waved away the claims of the Town players.

The last chance of the half fell to Mannix once again, but Skelmersdale's captain and former Town player Tom Hardwick cleared the danger.

The second half proved to be a different kettle of fish, Town winger Andy Fowler immediately showing his side's intent with a decent shot within a minute of the restart.

The teams exchanged chances through Hughes and Ash Ruane, before the visitors wasted a glorious chance to go ahead when prolific striker Ciaran Kilheeney's low angled shot was well saved by Ashton at full stretch.

The hosts then spurned a golden opportunity of their own, winger Adam Morning cutting in on Robertson and shooting narrowly the wrong side of the upright.

The intensity was gradually increasing as the game wore on, with Ruane, Kilheeney and Skelmersdale striker Josh Hine all prevented from opening the scoring by last-ditch defending and reaction saves.

Both sides could have taken the lead in the final minutes, with home substitute Mike Phenix lashing a shot off the crossbar and Kilheeney's shot rebounding out for Ruane to blaze the ball over.

As it was, the crowd had to wait until the last possible moment to see the net ripple, Skelmersdale striker Mark Jackson pouncing on an uncleared ball to give his side what looked to be the match-winner.

That was until Mooney popped up with the last kick of the game, latching on to John Mile's rebounded shot to poke home a deserved equaliser and rescue a point for Warrington.

Town: Robertson, Davies, Doran, Nat Kerr (D), McCarten, Dogan (c), Fowler (Mooney, 87), Mannix (Brown, 80), Kilheeney, Newby (Miles, 74), Ruane.