Warrington Town 1 Buxton 0

STEVE Jennings’ second-half penalty was enough to send Yellows up to third in the league against 10-man Buxton.

Jennings, in what could be the final game of his loan spell from Southport, converted from the spot 10 minutes after the break before Bucks defender Matt Baker was sent off for a second bookable offence.

The first half was an even contest, with both sides enjoying chances.

Will Hayhurst had a free kick deflected just wide, but Liam Hardy, the Evo-Stik Premier Division’s top goalscorer, had the best chance of the early stages.

He latched onto a through ball, but Tony McMillan was quick off his line to save at the 23-goal hitman’s feet.

Yellows took gradual command after that and had the ball in the net when Jack Higgins headed home a corner, but the referee had already blown for a foul in the build-up.

Jamie McDonald had a close-range effort snuffed out, while Hayhurst saw another free-kick comfortably kept out by Will Jaaskelainan in the Bucks goal.

Tony Gray’s close-range effort was blocked, but the best chance of the half came just before the break.

A quickly-taken free kick saw Gray flick Adam Carden’s long ball into the path of McDonald, who was in space inside the penalty area but could only find the side netting with his shot.

After the break, however, the big chance came for Yellows.

Gray peeled out to the edge of the penalty area and his shot hit the raised arm of visiting defender Kern Miller.

The referee pointed to the spot and Jennings sent Jaaskelainan the wrong way from 12 yards.

Shortly after that, Buxton’s task got harder as Baker, already on a yellow card, tripped Yellows substitute Stephen Milne and he was given his marching orders.

However, the sending-off seemed to galvanise Buxton as they increased the pressure, but Town’s defence held strong.

The visitors could not create a meaningful chance until deep into injury time, when Hardy escaped down the left wing.

His cross was met by substitute Bradley Grayson, whose shot looked destined for the top corner but McMillan pulled off a top-drawer save to deny him before rushing out to smother Josh Meade’s attempted follow-up.

From there, Yellows went on the counter-attack as Gerard Kinsella and Gray bore down on goal.

However, Kinsella produced a poor touch to allow Bucks skipper Joe Maguire to recover and clear, but Yellows held on for victory.

Warrington Town: McMillan, Adam Carden, McKeown, Goulding, McCarten, Higgins, Green (Kinsella), Jennings, McDonald (Milne), Gray, Hayhurst (Williams). Subs not used: Hamer, Vassallo.