WITH only 10 games of the season remaining, Paul Carden says his table-topping Warrington Town side need to demonstrate their resilience to secure promotion.

Yellows travel to relegation-threatened Mickleover Sports on Saturday, kick off 3pm, looking to protect their one-point lead at the Evo-Stik Premier Division summit.

Carden says they are now in the “nitty-gritty” stage of the season where anybody can slip up at any time.

However, he says mental fortitude will be the key quality that sees them over the line, both in terms of Saturday’s game and in the long-term.

“You look at Mickleover – they played some good stuff against us when we played them at home,” he said.

“With the experience they’ve got, you wonder how and why they are where they are.

“It’s down to the nitty-gritty now. We’re into the last 10 games.

“We have to go there and be resilient and strong. I don’t know what the pitch is like but we have to be strong in terms of our shape.

“I keep telling the lads that our shape and organisation will win us games because there’s always someone at the top end who will score for us.”

Yellows maintained their lead at the summit with a 2-0 victory at another struggling side in the shape of Workington on Tuesday, while nearest challengers Farsley Celtic remained hot on their heels by winning 4-0 against a North Ferriby United side that are near-certainties for relegation.

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Warrington Town celebrate Dylan Vassallo's goal straight from a corner against Workington. Picture by John Hopkins

Carden says there was a particular feeling of satisfaction about proving wrong those who thought they would lose their lead in midweek.

“Before the Workington game, everything was about Farsley playing the bottom side and us playing a team fighting for their lives,” he said.

“Everyone fancied Farsley massively but people were looking at our game and thinking it was a tough place to go – fancying Workington to nick it or get a point.

“I said we had to come through and show our resilience because winning at that kind of place is the type of win that gets you where you want to be.

“We have to put a line through it and move on to Saturday.”

Town will assess the fitness of joint-top goalscorer Tony Gray, who was substituted with an ankle injury at Workington.

Jack Dunn missed Tuesday’s game altogether having picked up a hamstring injury in Saturday’s 3-3 draw against Nantwich Town and remains a doubt for the trip to Mickleover.

Warrington Guardian:

Yellows will check on Tony Gray's fitness for tomorrow's trip to Mickleover Sports. Picture by John Hopkins

HOW DOES THE TITLE RACE LOOK?

FOR the moment at least, Yellows' destiny is out of their hands despite being in pole position.

Nearest rivals Farsley Celtic have a crucial game in hand, which they play on Tuesday against Workington. From then on, it will be a straight run to the finish line.

With plenty of points still to play for, the race for promotion remains wide open...

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