WHEN it looked as if their title challenge was about to die, Warrington Town stayed just about alive.

Late goals have often been their friend this season and against a game Whitby side, substitute Marcus Cusani provided the spark they needed with a goal fit to win any game.

Frustrations continue that despite doing all they can to stay in touch, Farsley Celtic and South Shields remain agonisingly out of reach.

The play-offs look the more likely route to the National League North with four games left, but Yellows are doing all they can to stay in touch with the leaders.

Warrington Guardian:

Marcus Cusani - about to turn into position to fire home his winning goal. Picture by John Hopkins

Paul Carden went for an unchanged starting line-up in the hope that familiarly did not breed contempt.

It took them a while to get going against a visiting outfit who arrived on the back of three successive wins.

They were quick to cut off the supply line to advanced mifielder Bohan Dixon and going forward, they produced some good football.

Some of that led to a first real sight of goal for Bradley Fewster, who linked up superbly with Matthew Tymon but lost his footing with only Tony McMillan to beat.

The Yellows stopper was required shortly after to keep out Daniel Rowe’s flicked effort from a corner – a comfortable save which was the only real goalmouth action of the half.

Town ended a unremarkable first period in the ascendancy without troubling Adam McHugh in the Whitby goal – the closest they came was when Dixon acrobatically volleyed Adam Hughes’ cross wide.

They carried on in the same vein after the break and came within inches of opening the scoring just three minutes after the restart.

Robbie Evans worked himself into some space and beat McHugh with a long-range effort only to see it thunder off the post.

Tony Gray then headed Dunn’s delicious cross wide as Yellows continued to threaten before the latter lashed a long-range effort over the bar.

However, things began to settle down at Yellows started to huff and puff.

They were forcing the issue, and it was not doing them any favours.

McHugh was forced into action to push away a goalbound Gray effort from Dunn’s deep free kick, but time was starting to work against the hosts.

However, when all seemed against them, inspiration came from the bench.

Cusani’s initial first touch inside the area was poor, but it worked him enough space to curl a superb effort into the far corner.

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