Warrington Town 4 North Ferriby United 0

IN horrid conditions and despite a last-minute goalkeeper crisis, Warrington Town did exactly what was expected of them.

On-loan stopper Charlie Albinson suffered a thumb injury that ruled him out of the game, with Southports Josh Tibbetts drafted in between the sticks as hasty replacement.

However, Yellows were still too good for North Ferriby United – the Evo-Stik Premier Division’s bottom side – as they kept pressure on the leading pack with a third straight win.

The game was effectively over as a contest once Jack Mackreth swept home a penalty, with Adam Hughes and Jake Kirby adding further comfort before the break and substitute Jack Dunn adding a late fourth.

Rain lashed the terraces but abated in time for kick off, but the weather had taken its toll on the pitch.

Proceedings took a while to warm up, but Town soon established control and hit the front.

Kirby sped in behind the Villagers defence and fell under the challenge of goalkeeper Lewis Exall, with referee Oliver Noonan awarding the spot kick despite the visitors’ insistence that the Yellows forward had dived.

Mackreth remained undeterred, however, and sent Exall the wrong way.

That goal came as Town were just starting to up the intensity, and North Ferriby found it difficult to cope.

They were still defending resolutely, but that lapsed for Yellows’ second goal.

Quick-thinking from Ben Garrity led to him playing a short corner to Mackreth, whose pinpoint cross found Hughes unmarked in the six-yard box to head home.

That goal really did break the visitors’ spirit – perhaps understandably for a side who had won just twice all season.

By contrast, Town were controlling proceedings with the confidence of a side just clicking back into their best form.

Kirby was at the forefront of a lot of their good play, and he was rewarded as half-time approached.

James Williamson shanked two clearances and Tony Gray picked up the pieces, sending the ball in behind for Kirby to chase and crash past Exall.

Perhaps galvanised by some stern half-time words, the visitors started the second half on the front foot without creating anything to trouble Tibbetts.

Soon, Yellows found their groove again and Kirby was inches away from doubling his tally when he headed Mitch Duggan’s cross just wide.

The wind then started to howl around the ground, with balls in the air struggling to find great distance.

A triple substitution seemed to bring North Ferriby a little more shape, but penetration was still missing from their game.

Yellows also made three changes, with Mackreth, Gray and Robbie Evans given well-deserved rests.

Connor McCarthy came on for his second Town debut after signing from Runcorn Linnets, and he came close to marking his return in style.

Fellow substitute Josh Amis’ cross looked ripe for him to tap in, but Williamson produced an excellent challenge to deny him.

Then, out of nothing, North Ferriby came within inches of wrecking Town’s hard-earned clean sheet.

Will Waudy’s cross from the left found Jack Smith, but his header smashed off Tibbett’s crossbar.

In the end, though, that was the closest they came as Yellows added the coup de grace late on.

Amis produced an excellent through ball to release Dunn, and he stayed calm to lash past Exall and seal victory.

Warrington: Tibbetts, Duggan, Hughes, Garrity, Roberts, Raven, Mackreth (McCarthy), Evans (Dunn), Gray (Amis), Dixon, Kirby. Subs not used: Vassallo, Whittle.