THIS season, Warrington Town have won 22 of their 43 Northern Premier League games, encompassing league and play-off matches.
There have been some memorable performances over the past eight months that have once again led them to the brink of a history-making promotion to the National League North.
To achieve that, they must beat Bamber Bridge in Monday’s play-off final at Cantilever Park in front of what is expected to be a sell-out crowd of around 2,500 fans.
Our sports reporter Matt Turner picks out 10 of the more memorable wins that have got Yellows to this point…
TOWN 2 MORPETH 0
August 13, 2022
Of course, how you finish the season is much more important to how you start it, but everybody wants to get off on the right foot.
Yellows did just that as they hosted Morpeth Town on the opening day to start their bid to bounce back from the previous season’s play-off final heartbreak.
It looked as though they were going to be frustrated until Isaac Buckley-Ricketts popped up with the pivotal opening goal as the game entered injury time.
Jordan Buckley added a second on the counter-attack to set Town on their way.
TOWN 3 MATLOCK 1
October 22, 2022
Yellows’ opening month or two was a little stop-start but a run of five straight wins in all competitions through October was the first sign of them getting their act together.
In terms of league fixtures, this was arguably the pick of that particular bunch against a high-flying Matlock side.
After Stefan Mols had driven Town into the lead, Sean Williams saw his penalty saved but it mattered level as from the resulting corner, Jay Harris prodded home.
Connor Woods made it 3-0 just after the interval, with Kallan Murphy’s late consolation denying the hosts a deserved clean sheet.
TOWN 3 SOUTH SHIELDS 2
November 26, 2022
Having lost their previous three games and with goalkeeper Tony Thompson controversially suspended following the well-publicised water bottle incident during the FA Trophy loss to Guiseley, it’s fair to say Town expected little from their clash with the title favourites.
What followed, however, was a performance manager Mark Beesley described as one of the best from a Town side in his six years at the club.
Having fallen behind to Darius Osei’s early opener, Stefan Mols levelled from the penalty spot before Matty McDonald and Sean Williams struck in the second half to make Gary Liddle’s last-gasp consolation goal irrelevant.
They did not know it at the time, but this game would set them off on the unbeaten run that would define their season.
WARRINGTON RYLANDS 1 TOWN 2
January 14, 2023
In front of more than 1,800 fans at Gorsey Lane, Town pulled off a turnaround to win the second Warrington derby of the season.
Rylands took an early lead thanks to Ajay Leitch-Smith’s arrowed finish and were unfortunate not to be further ahead as Town’s change of tactics backfired.
Having reverted back to their usual system, however, the visitors took command and Jordan Buckley’s double allowed them to cross back over the River Mersey with the points and the bragging rights.
MARSKE 1 TOWN 2
February 25, 2023
This one perhaps stands out more for the circumstances than for it being particularly convincing.
A long way from home on a heavy pitch in torrid conditions, it was a case of “get the job done and get out of there.”
Thanks to Dec Walker’s stunning late free kick, they did just that.
They had been pegged back by the struggling hosts, with Bohan Dixon’s opener being cancelled out by Adam Boyes’ equaliser.
TOWN 1 BAMBER BRIDGE 0
March 4, 2023
Play-off final opponents Bamber Bridge’s last trip to Cantilever Park is one they would rather forget, but a game that will no doubt stick out for Town fans when they look back at the season.
When Sean Williams was shown a red card for a tackle deemed dangerous by referee Liam Corrigan inside the first minute, they were right up against it.
However, they put in a performance that belied their disadvantage, dominating the game and scoring a deserved late winner thanks to Bohan Dixon’s strong run and finish.
MORPETH 0 TOWN 4
March 28, 2023
This was a game that had been postponed twice – including once when Town had already arrived following a 175-mile journey – due to cold weather.
When it was finally played, Town made light of predictions in some quarters that the midweek travel would be a leveller against their relegation-threatened opponents.
Connor Woods’ first goal since returning to the club on a permanent deal set them on their way before another superb Dec Walker free kick doubled the lead.
Evan Gumbs and Josh Amis added late gloss to ensure the scoreline was as dominant as their performance had been.
RADCLIFFE 0 TOWN 3
April 4, 2023
Another tough game in a difficult run-in but one that was dealt with in supreme fashion.
Beating play-off rivals Radcliffe all but secured their spot in the top five as three second-half goals allowed them to go home with the three points.
They expertly protected the lead given to them by Connor Woods’ opener and once the hosts’ discipline collapsed following Jude Oyibo’s red card, they made hay.
Isaac Buckley-Ricketts slide home the second goal before a delightful Josh Amis lob put the icing on the cake.
MARINE 1 TOWN 2
April 10, 2023
Town kicked off on the Merseyside coast knowing their play-off place was already mathematically sealed but that work still needed to be done to secure a top-three spot.
Thanks to Isaac Buckley-Ricketts’ injury-time winner, however, they made it a perfect Easter with six points from six.
Jordan Buckley had put Yellows ahead barely a minute into the second half but it looked like Joe Hardy’s equaliser would earn Marine a point until Buckley-Ricketts’ last-gasp intervention.
TOWN 4 MATLOCK 1 (play-off semi-final)
April 25, 2023
Pressure? What pressure?
Against a Matlock side who had stormed into the play-offs with a fine run of late season form, Yellows had the job done by half time after a merciless destruction of their visitors.
Luke Duffy scored twice to go with a goal each from Bohan Dixon and Connor Woods to send them into half time 4-0 up at a raucous Cantilever Park.
Only Matlock keeper Saul Deeney prevented them from making it even more comfortable and despite Bradley Abbott denying them a clean sheet with a stunning late volley, no shine was taken off the celebrations.
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