“SHODDY” and “clueless” were among the words Paul Carden used to describe his Warrington Town side’s performance in defeat at Scarborough Athletic.

Yellows slipped to their first defeat of the season in North Yorkshire as goals either side of half time secured victory for the hosts.

A contentious Ryan Watson penalty – awarded after Eddie Clarke was adjudged to have handled in the area – opened the scoring just shy of half time before Kieran Glynn doubled the lead shortly after the break.

Carden, who lost striker Jordan Buckley to a tight hamstring just before kick off, actually thought his side edged the first half but criticised their lack of fight after the break.

He was also scathing of the decision to award the Seadogs the penalty that allowed Watson to open the scoring.

“I actually thought we were the better team in the first half and probably edged it,” he said.

“Then there was the penalty – I don’t know what the ref has seen. I don’t even think he knew what he had seen at half time.

“After they scored the second, we may as well have got back on the bus then.

“There was nothing offered in terms of a fightback to try and get back into the game.

“Bohan Dixon was the only player who showed in any way that he was wanting to do what he could to get us back into it.

“I’m not saying others weren’t trying, but he was the only one showing any sort of quality and purpose. Everything else was weak.

“The body language, the willingness to try and do the right things just went out of the window. We looked shoddy and to be honest, we looked clueless at times.

“We try and give as much detail as we can to players and you’re hoping the lads take it on and deliver it to their strengths.

“Today, we had one player who played to his strengths.”

Yellows had initially named an unchanged side from Tuesday’s victory at Stafford Rangers as they looked to make it three wins from three in the Northern Premier League.

However, when Buckley was withdrawn minutes before kick off, Josh Amis returned from suspension to start the game.

Carden refused to attach any blame for the result to the late change, insisting his side should have made more of the opportunities they managed to carve out before Watson’s opener.

“It didn’t help with Jordan being missing it and changing it late, but you’ve got to deal with these things,” he said.

“In the first half, I probably would have been disappointed to have gone in at 0-0 because we should score.

“When you’re wasteful with your opportunities, poor decisions come back to haunt you.

“We got round the back a number of times but we would hit the first man, cross it over or miss the target.

“You might as well not have those chances if you’re not going to take them.

“It then only takes a poor decision from a referee to change the course of the game, and that’s what happened.”

Yellows will get the chance to bounce back on Tuesday evening when they welcome Atherton Collieries to Cantilever Park.