DESPITE watching his Warrington Town side rack up a comprehensive victory in their longest league away trip of the season, Mark Beesley says there are plenty of aspects of the performance that could have been better.

Yellows ran out 4-1 victors at Bishop’s Stortford after scoring three goals in seven second-half minutes after the hosts had been reduced to 10 men by Fraser Alexander’s red card.

Connor Woods netted his second having opened the scoring in the first half before setting up Josh Amis shortly afterwards, with Isaac Buckley-Ricketts adding a fourth on the counter-attack.

Town could not finish with a clean sheet to match their 4-0 win at Southport on the opening day as Tosin Olufemi, who saw a first-half penalty saved by Dan Atherton, scored with a second attempt from the spot late on.

And Beesley insists he was not as happy with his side’s performance as he was with the final scoreline.

“We’re delighted with the result but we’re not so delighted with the performance,” he said.

“At times, we were sloppy and we weren’t good enough out of possession.

“On another day, they probably cause us more problems and we have to thank Dan for saving the penalty at 1-0 and keeping them out.

“In the end, coming away and winning 4-1 in this league – especially in your longest away trip – is a great result, but we need to be better.

“We need to keep pushing and be better than we were today.”

Woods’ left-footed finish meant Town were rewarded for a lively start – something Beesley was keen to see as they shook off the effects of a 200-mile coach journey to the Hertfordshire-Essex border.

However, the hosts built their way back into the game and looked set to level the scores when Atherton was harshly penalised for sliding into Zain Walker, who shot unhindered but hit the post.

However, the stopper redeemed himself by beating away Olufemi’s penalty and when Alexander saw red early in the second half, Town were patient before unleashing a devastating purple patch.

All three goals came via counter-attacks, with Woods finishing well before turning provider for Josh Amis to mark his first league start of the campaign with his 50th goal for the club.

Isaac Buckley-Ricketts slid home a fourth goal from a perfect Sean Williams through-ball to put the result beyond all doubt and while Olufemi netted with a second attempt from the spot after Dec Walker had felled Gio McGregor, it proved a mere consolation.

“Last time we did a long journey, we gave ourselves a mountain to climb at Banbury,” Beesley said.

“It was important that we started the game better and we did that.

“If we were a bit more ruthless and aggressive in the final third, we may have gone 2-0 up but the start was much better and we’re pleased with that.

“We went 1-0 up and to be fair to them, they came back into it.

“I like the way they play – they move the ball quickly and rotate. For the last 15 minutes of the first half, they caused us a lot of problems.

“We wanted to keep our shape better as they had to take more chances if they wanted to get back into the game.

“At that stage, we were hoping to get them on the counter-attack, which we did.

“We were ruthless on the counter, which was really pleasing.

“Away from home, we don’t have to come and entertain. We have to stay in games.

“At times, we’ve given ourselves mountains to climb in away matches, so we’re learning as we go in this league.

“We’ve got to make sure that we’re not behind all the time and that we get ourselves a foothold. Today, we gave ourselves that with a good start and a goal.”

The game marked a pleasing return to goalscoring form for Woods, whose only league goal before Saturday afternoon came in the win at Chorley back in August.

His two accomplished finishes plus a calm assist to set up Amis saw him show signs of his devastating best – something Beesley says was a product of his work behind the scenes.

“He wasn’t happy coming with two goals and I don’t blame him either – I wouldn’t be in his shoes. That’s the hunger in him,” the Town boss said.

“He was absolutely on fire in training on Thursday and was scoring goals for fun. I told him I thought he’d score today and he looked a constant threat.

“When he gets down that right channel, you always back him to score and he came up with two good finishes.

“It’s a nice bit of composure for the third as well to roll it across the goal.

“As forwards, sometimes you worry too much about scoring goals as opposed to playing naturally.

“With the way he plays, he will get chances and that’s what happened today.

“He does a great job for us and he’ll get better and better as the team does.”