THAT is how you send out a message.
By emphatically swatting Matlock Town aside in the pressurised environment of a play-off semi-final, Warrington Town showed just how good they can be.
Goalscoring struggles that plagued them earlier in the season were a distant memory as a bouncing Cantilever Park was treated to the best 45 minutes of football Town have produced in recent memory.
They carved swathes through their visitors with surgical precision, leaving them chasing shadows and sinking without a trace.
And to think it was arguably the visitors, who arrived high on confidence and low on pressure, who settled the better early on as they looked to make the most of their “bolters” tag.
Once Luke Duffy had crashed in the opening goal, however, there was barely a flicker of response.
Yellows are yet to lose a game in which they have scored first this season and they ensured that impressive statistic would continue in a first half that had to be seen to be believed.
Duffy was the tormentor-in-chief, his bewitching footwork leading his markers a merry dance and helping set up Bohan Dixon for a tap-in second goal.
By the time he latched onto a glorious through-ball from Matty McDonald to round Gladiators stopper Saul Deeney and slide home his second and Town’s third, the game was all but over.
It was only Deeney who stopped Duffy from netting a deserved hat-trick thanks to several superb saves after half time – having broken Matlock’s spirit, it then became about how many Town would score but to the keeper’s credit, he ensured there was no further damage.
Connor Woods’ arrowed finish capped off the joy and stemmed from another lightning counter-attack, with Town being given the freedom of WA4 to pick their way through the Matlock midfield.
Beyond the goalscorers, though, this was a truly joyous exhibition of how cohesive a unit this Yellows side are.
Sean Williams slotted seamlessly into the sizeable midfield hole left by Jay Harris’ injury, Andy White was his usual reliable self at left back while skipper Josh Amis led the line with power and poise – the only thing missing from his display was another goal to continue his prolific recent form.
It is a night the near 2,000 people that were here will not forget in a hurry, but the job is not yet done.
The hopes of those fans who danced through the night in celebration of this triumph will be higher than ever that finally, Town can finish the job and take that final step into the National League North.
Bamber Bridge will have other ideas and will arrive flying after beating Gainsborough Trinity despite playing the majority of the second half and extra time with 10 men, and Monday’s final is sure to be a blockbuster occasion.
Get your tickets and make sure you’re there for what could end up being one of the more memorable days in this town’s footballing history.
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