What a difference a month makes... top boss Dunn axed (From Warrington Guardian)

What a difference a month makes... top boss Dunn axed

3:00pm Thursday 22nd March 2012 in Latest news

WARRINGTON Town travel to Bamber Bridge on Saturday for their first game since the decision to axe manager Joey Dunn earlier this week.

The Evo-Stik Division One North club released a statement on Tuesday saying that the club had ‘parted company’ with Dunn and his assistant Stuart Humphreys after three years under their stewardship.

The decision comes off the back of the Yellow’s 2-0 defeat at the hands of struggling Clitheroe on Saturday, but is surprising considering Dunn had helped Town to a late play-off push by overseeing a run of 11 undefeated matches in 2012, a feat that had earned him the title of Evo-Stik Division One North’s manager of the month for February.

Dunn was unavailable when the Warrington Guardian tried to contact him for a statement, but he had taken to his Twitter feed to describe his disappointment.

“Sad it ended this way,” he said.

“Really sad for my lads, they were so up for getting promoted you could touch it in the air.”

Town have since expressed their desire to find a new manager with ‘football league pedigree’ in order to fulfil their ambitions of taking the club into the football league structure.

The Yellows, under the control of temporary manager Toby Macormac, will have to do better against Bamber Bridge on Saturday, kick off 3pm, if they are to stand any chance of reaching fifth place.

Clitheroe 2 Warrington Town 0

TOWN never really got going on the sloping Shawbridge pitch, crafting chances through Matty Cross and Allan Collins in the early stages but failing to properly trouble Clitheroe keeper Zack Hibbert.

The hosts had barely had a chance to attack Paul Pritchard’s goal in the opening 25 minutes, but that did not stop them from taking the lead from the spot after River Humphreys was penalised for dragging Clitheroe striker Alex Johnson to the ground.

Town pushed for an equaliser and went close just before the break, Dale Wright playing a one-two with Chris Thompson only to see his shot blocked at close range by Hibbert.

The introduction of Gavin Salmon and Ross Farron from the bench gave Town fresh impetus, but when Town were denied a stonewall penalty with 20 minutes remaining the writing was on the wall.

The hosts made sure of the points with 10 minutes left, midfielder Devenney’s free kick flying straight in past a stranded Pritchard, who could only flap at the ball in a packed penalty area.

Town: Pritchard, Duffy, Roberts, Humphreys, Tomlinson (c), Cross, Wright, Hamid, Collins, Thompson (Salmon, 65), Shipton (Farron, 65). Subs not used: Heald, Ness, Jackson