AFTER an impressive and much-needed home win, Warrington Town boss Paul Carden paid tribute to his side for “stepping it up a notch” after half time.

Yellows won at Cantilever Park for the first time since August as Hyde United were beaten 4-1, with Tony Gray bagging two of Town’s goals.

Ben Garrity and Bohan Dixon were also on the scoresheet as Yellows remained fourth in the BetVictor Northern Premier Division.

Jack Mackreth also had a penalty saved moments after Chris Sharp had equalised for Hyde against the run of play, and Carden credited his players for not allowing such a blow to deflate them.

“We spoke before the game about standards that have been set over time. We’ve been doing things that weren’t like us,” he said.

“They’ve scored a goal through legs from outside the box, but I can’t remember too many other opportunities we’ve given them in the game.

“That’s the standards we’ve set – being resolute and a threat on the break – and we were.

“It would have been harsh if we’d gone in at 1-1 at half time.

“With their goal and the missed penalty, you wondered if it was going to go the same way again.

“To be fair to the lads, they’ve come out for the second half and turned it up a notch on what was a very good first half.”

The return of Steve Jennings and Bohan Dixon in midfield proved critical for Warrington, with the latter playing in support to main striker Gray.

Warrington Guardian:

Tony Gray loops a header beyond Hyde keeper Luke Mewitt for his second goal and Town's fourth. Picture by John Hopkins

“Bohan’s job was to take the hits for Tony and use his pace on both flanks,” he said.

“Jack Banister has been nursing a bit of a hamstring and I was half-worried about him, but he’s come through it unscathed.

“Tony thrives on having pace on both sides of him and when you’ve got Bohan winning flick ons and also switching the play and threading passes on the deck, it gives you different elements in attack.

“We’ve probably lacked that in the past few weeks.

“One thing we had today was experience, right through the spine of the team.

“It was important today that we used that and adapted to things.

“On set-pieces, they obviously have had us watched but we adapted and changed things.

“We were creative, inventive and good for that result all day long.”