Warrington Town manager reacts to winning promotion

As he reflected on his side’s dramatic play-off final victory, Mark Beesley afforded all the credit to his Warrington Town players.

Isaac Buckley-Ricketts’ 90th-minute winner allowed them to edge a nervy clash with Bamber Bridge, with the goal coming 10 minutes after Yellows had been reduced to 10 men through Josh Amis’ red card.

Isaac Buckley-Ricketts' late winner finds the back of the net (Image: Karl Vallantine)

After falling at the final hurdle twice, they will now take their place in the National League North for the first time ever.

“It’s fantastic and I can’t praise the players enough – they’ve been absolutely outstanding,” he said.

“We came together on June 26th and the goal was promotion.

“We wanted to win the league but we finished second, so we turned our attention to the play-offs and the players to a man have been outstanding. We can’t praise them enough.

“I think we were due a bit of luck in these games. This club should already be in the National League North from a few years ago but we were cheated out of it through a restructure.

“We were due some luck and to score a last-minute goal, it’s the bit of fortune we were due.

"I’d lost every play-off before this – I think it was 12 before today so lucky number 13! It’s a bit of relief as it’s something we’ve worked so hard for.

"I can’t thank the chairman, Dave (Raven, assistant manager), Mark (Canning, goalkeeping coach), Ben (Nutter, physio) enough – we’ve all been through it and we’ve had some stick at times which happens at times.

"The players believed in what we were doing and we knew it was right."

In a game of few chances, it looked destined for extra time and a 30-minute period of holding on for Town after skipper Amis was sent off for pushing his hand into the face of Bamber Bridge captain Macauley Wilson.

However, substitute Buckley-Ricketts proved to be the hero as he diverted home Jay Harris’ shot to spark delirium inside a sold-out Cantilever Park.

Josh Amis is lifted above a sea of celebrating fans (Image: Sean Walsh)

“They changed their system to stop us playing and they did it to be fair,” Beesley said.

“We weren’t at our best, which can happen in finals. There’s that bit of apprehension and nerves and not wanting to lose.

“We brought Sean Williams on and he made a bit of a difference with that calmness in possession.

“Then with the red card, you’re thinking “here we go again” but full credit to the lads.

“We also nullified them – I think they only had one shot. It was a tight game and it was always going to be like that – it was never going to be like Tuesday which was absolutely outstanding.

“We had to dig in and get over the line, and we did.

“That’s what you’re in football for – the sheer elation on the players, staff and fans’ faces."

On match-winner Buckley-Ricketts, he added: "He’s made history – he’ll go down alongside Craig Robinson in terms of important goals for this club and I’m made up for him.

"He’s been gutted he hasn’t been playing because of the form of the other two wide players but for him to come on and get the winner is brilliant."

Isaac Buckley-Ricketts celebrates his promotion-winning goal (Image: Karl Vallantine)

Once the dust settles and the celebrations die down, attention will soon turn to ensuring the club establish themselves at their new level.

As well as the necessary off-field improvements to see that Cantilever Park satisfies ground grading requirements, Beesley will be looking at retaining the players he has while adding quality to the squad for what lies ahead.

However, he insists work on just that has been bubbling away in the background with the help of chairman Toby Macormac, to whom he was keen to pay tribute.

"Behind the scenes, everyone knows how hard the chairman works. His wife and kids are invested in it and I’m made up to do it for them," he said.

"They gave me a great opportunity here and hopefully I’ve paid them back now!

"We’re quite organised behind the scenes – myself and the chairman are well on with things in the background.

"Whatever was going to happen, we had to do that as it’s part of the job and that will continue for the next couple of weeks.

"Then we’ll have a well-earned break and before you know it, it will be pre-season."