PAUL Carden praised the endeavour of his Warrington Town players despite today’s 3-2 defeat to Stafford Rangers, but was critical of referee Jack Nield’s “inconsistent” performance.

Yellows played much of the game with 10 men after Ben Garrity was sent off for a second bookable offence early on, but Bohan Dixon gave them the lead just five minutes after the red card.

However, Luke Jones scored twice either side of a Theodore Bailey-Jones effort for Rangers and despite Marcus Cusani pulling one back for Town, the strugglers held on for victory.

> Yellows made to rue early red card

The result – coupled with a Farsley Celtic win at Hyde – knocks Town off the top of the Evo-Stik Premier Division but Carden was happy with how his players kept going.

“I’m very proud of our effort,” he told the Guardian.

“We take a lead despite being a man down but I’m disappointed with the goals we conceded. They are not like us.

“They scored from three set pieces – two corners and a long throw. We’ve got to deal things better.

“I thought we were the better team in the second half. We made better use of the ball and had better control.

“They were wasting time at the end with a man up.

“Some of our play in the second half working it from one side to the other was very good and that’s testament to the lads having played so long with a man less.

“We stepped it up and we had chances with 10 men. Full credit to the lads for keeping going until the end.”

Garrity’s sending-off came about as a result of a late challenge on Andy Haworth in midfield, but his first booking was more contentious after referee Nield carded him for simulation after he appealed for a penalty.

“I haven’t spoken to Ben so I couldn’t really tell you about the red card,” he said.

“The ref was so inconsistent today it was frightening, but that’s what you get.”