RATHER than dwell on the disappointment of losing top spot in the Evo-Stik Premier Division, Paul Carden says his Warrington Town side need to “dust themselves down and put it right.”

They welcome Whitby Town to Cantilever Park on Saturday, kick off 3pm, aiming to avoid their fate slipping further from their grasp.

In an increasingly tight title race, Yellows were the latest team to slip up by going down to a 3-2 home defeat to relegation-threatened Stafford Rangers on Saturday.

Rivals Farsley Celtic took full advantage by winning 2-1 at Hyde United to leapfrog Town and open up a two-point gap.

With eight games of the season remaining, back-to-back defeats could prove fatal to their chances and thus Carden has called on his players to move on quickly.

He also called on the defeat to be put into context, given it was only their second since November.

“I always knew Stafford would be a tough game,” he said.

“It is what it is, we just have to move on from it. It’s the same win or lose – we have to quickly put games into the past and put it right.

“Whitby is another tough one. It was tough up at their place.

“None of them are easy, but we have to focus on ourselves.

“We’ve got to dust ourselves down and not be too disappointed.

“We have to realise that before Saturday, we had one defeat in 17 games. We need another run like that.”

Yellows go into Saturday’s game without the services of key midfielder Ben Garrity, who is serving a one-match ban following his red card against Stafford.

Warrington Guardian:

Ben Garrity is suspended for Saturday's game against Whitby Town. Picture by John Hopkins

However, Carden is hopeful of having winger Jack Dunn available as he has missed the past three games with a hamstring injury.

Top scorer Tony Gray is nursing a hamstring complaint of his own while fellow striker Josh Amis will also be monitored after managing 45 minutes on Saturday following a groin problem.

With the likes of Marcus Cusani and Russell Benjamin performing well off the bench against Stafford, Carden is happy with the state of his squad.

“Jack Dunn should be back for Whitby. Hopefully Josh Amis has no reaction from his groin after playing 45 minutes at the weekend,” he said.

Tony felt his hamstring at Mickleover. It was just tight and he wasn’t feeling 100 per cent with it in training last week.

“We didn’t want to risk him being missing for longer. He was out for a spell with that last season.

“The squad is thickening out again and we’ll start to be stronger.”