WARRINGTON Town maintained their play-off place with an ultimately comfortable victory at Stalybridge Celtic.

Matt Grivosti netted once in each half – his first goals since December – as Mark Beesley’s side remained three points inside the top five.

Substitute Luke Duffy netted Town’s other goal as they completed the league double over the Celts.

Read Matt Turner's full match verdict below

 

ULTIMATELY, this one proved comfortable for Warrington Town.

It wasn’t always that way particularly after half time, but eventually they made their superior class tell.

Once they broke Stalybridge’s spirit with a swift double punch in the second half, Town could flex their muscles and see the game out with authority.

These are the kind of victories sides with designs on promotion need to complete, on difficult pitches against sides with not much to play for on the face of it.

On a rutted, sloped surface, the selection of the industrious Ben Hough in midfield over ball-players such as Stefan Mols and Bohan Dixon spoke to the kind of game Mark Beesley perhaps expected – a battle.

An early goal played precisely into Town’s hands, and well taken it was by Matt Grivosti after home keeper Grant Shenton punched the ball straight into his path.

If Shenton was at fault for the first goal, he more than did his part to keep his side in the game in the first half as Yellows – attacking down the slope – made all of the running.

Indeed, perhaps the only disappointment of the opening period from a Town perspective was that it ended with them only a goal to the good.

The lead felt vulnerable to attack and in the 15 minutes after the break, Stalybridge were a team transformed.

With the hill now in their favour, they pushed Town back and an equaliser looked in the offing but in spite of that, Dan Atherton in the Town goal remained untested.

Once Town weathered the storm and got a foothold, however, they were primed to strike.

Two superbly crafted goals from Luke Duffy and Grivosti were enough to earn them three precious points and keep their fate in their own hands.

As it stands, the only team that can prevent them from taking their place in the end-of-season shake-up is themselves.

Going forward, they will hope to implement the consistency that has deserted them all season in order to keep it that way.