Workington 0 Warrington Town 2

IN games desperately short on quality, two moments of individual brilliance shone through for Yellows.

This was a match seemingly destined to finish goalless until substitute Dylan Vassallo provided a vital breakthrough 12 minutes from time.

The Town winger then went on to score direct from a corner to secure a vital three points that allowed Paul Carden’s men to remain top of the Evo-Stik Premier Division.

READ > Carden hails 'unplayable' Vassallo

From early on, it became clear that a heavy Borough Park pitch would play a big part in proceedings.

Try as they might, both sides struggled to get any sort of passing rhythm going on a sticky surface that deteriorated with time.

Tony Gray – Yellows’ saviour on Saturday thanks to his injury-time equaliser against Nantwich – had the chance to add his name to the scoresheet much earlier on this occasion but his header from Mitch Duggan’s cross was just too high.

Workington, who themselves were desperate for points in order to avoid exiting the division the other way, were far from cannon fodder and had chances of their own.

Brad Carroll headed straight at Tony McMillan while Josh Calvert perhaps should have done more than shovel an effort over the bar when a corner found him unmarked on the penalty spot.

Jason Walker then curled just over as the hosts showed signs of getting on top before Yellows came within inches of taking the lead.

Bohan Dixon’s inch-perfect pass released the recalled Jack Mackreth down the right wing and his cross was diverted onto his own crossbar by Calvert – possibly via a slight touch from goalkeeper Aaron Taylor – with Josh Amis waiting behind him to tap the ball in.

Dixon himself then trickled a shot narrowly wide as a dull first half ended scoreless.

The second half started in a similar vein, with both sides’ attempts to gain control of the game stifled by the heavy surface and the constant whistling of an overzealous referee.

Then, out of nothing, Workington fired a warning shot.

Good approach play down the left saw the ball fall to Walker and his shot rattled the crossbar.

That proved the cue for the Reds to step things up a gear and McMillan had to be sharp off his line to deny Walker before Calvert had a goalbound header deflected over.

Great work from Vassallo then saw him release Amis at the other end, but Taylor did well to spread himself to deny him.

As time dragged on and the conditions under foot deteriorated, no breakthrough was looking any more likely until a superb piece of individual skill from Vassallo.

Despite being knocked off his feet, he retained possession and weaved into the box before smashing the ball beyond Taylor at the near post.

The corners started to rack up in the home side’s favour as they pushed for an equaliser, but Town dug deep to hold firm before doubling their lead in bizarre circumstances.

Vassallo swung in a corner left-footed from the right wing and the ball flew straight into the far corner to secure a characterful three points.

Warrington Town: McMillan, Duggan (Evans), Whittle, Beeley, Roberts, Raven, Mackreth (McCarthy), Garrity, Gray (Vassallo), Amis, Dixon. Subs not used: Hughes, Benjamin.