Guardian sports reporter Matt Turner assesses some of the talking points to emerge from Yellows' 2-0 win at Workington on Tuesday night...
All about finding a way
AT this stage of the season, performances get lost in the wash.
Anyone associated with Warrington Town will freely admit that this was far from a vintage performance – even if factors outside of their control such as the pitch played a part in that.
However, they got the job done and that is all that matters. Once again, Paul Carden’s men found a way.
Many saw this as a banana skin with Workington having won four of their previous six games in their battle with survival, but Town avoided slipping up.
There will be many more stumbling blocks in the way between now and season’s end and they must avoid tripping over any of them.
READ > How individual brilliance won the day for Yellows
Warrington Town celebrate after Dylan Vassallo scores direct from a corner at Workington. Picture by John Hopkins
Vassallo lights up a dull night
ON a heavy pitch in chilly conditions, this was the kind of game destined to finish goalless.
It was a match bereft of any real quality until an injury to Tony Gray brought Dylan Vassallo into the fray.
Bobbly surfaces such as the one at Borough Park definitely fly in the face of Vassallo’s penchant for carrying the ball. He took a while to get going, but he was unstoppable once he did.
He terrorised a tiring Workington defence from his left-wing station, dazzling them with his trickery and pace.
Both of his goals were things of beauty and underlined the technical ability everyone at Town knows he has.
The challenge for him now is showing it on a consistent basis, but his recent form is encouraging as we approach the run-in.
READ > Carden hails 'unplayable' Vassallo
Bohan Dixon and Dave Raven congratulate Dylan Vassallo. Picture by John Hopkins
A hat-tip to Connor
STRIKERS are ultimately judged on goals and while Connor McCarthy did not hit the back of the net on Tuesday, his performance was worthy of great praise nonetheless.
He came on for Jack Mackreth with the game meandering towards a stalemate and alongside Vassallo, he played a big part in turning the game in Yellows’ favour.
While Workington were keeping the aerial threat of Josh Amis relatively quiet, an injection of pace to get in behind their defence was desperately needed and that is what McCarthy provided.
He had a couple of opportunities late on and was unfortunate not to score the goal his efforts deserved.
With Amis in the form of his life alongside Gray up front, chances have been hard to come by for McCarthy but this was a reminder of the threat he poses.
Credit must go to him for working hard for his chance.
Connor McCarthy was impressive off the bench at Workington. Picture by John Hopkins
Pressure of being ‘the hunted’
TOWN arrived in Cumbria in the knowledge that nearest rivals Farsley Celtic were as close to being guaranteed a victory as they could get as they faced a doomed North Ferriby United at home.
Plenty expected them to lose their lead, but they responded to remain one point clear.
However, having been the hunters for so long, they are now “the hunted” and that brings its own pressure.
There is plenty of experience in the Yellows dressing room. Players like Mark Roberts, Dave Raven and Shaun Beeley have been there and done it all before.
They will need every ounce of that experience in a title race in which nobody is showing any signs of buckling.
With the convoluted “super play-off” system in place this year, the importance of finishing top of the tree has arguably never been greater.
Yellows' next game sees them travel to Mickleover Sports on Saturday. Town beat the relegation struggler's 2-0 in October's reverse fixture. Picture by John Hopkins
The business end has arrived
YELLOWS now have just 10 Evo-Stik Premier Division games remaining. The countdown to the end of the season is officially on.
At the start of this month, I said we would know a lot more about Yellows’ promotion hopes at the end of February.
READ > Why February is a critical month for Warrington Town
Town have come through it unbeaten having won four of their five games, amassing 13 points from a possible 15.
If you would have offered any Town fan that return on February 1, they would have snatched your hand off.
The season is now officially at its business end, meaning the pressure goes up a notch.
Saturday's 3-3 draw with Nantwich Town was the only game in which Yellows dropped points in February. Picture by John Hopkins
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