HAVING watched his Warrington Town side mark their final home game of 2023 with a victory, Mark Beesley expressed his delight with how it came about.

They had to come from behind after Banbury United took the lead midway through the first half thanks to Craig Hewitt’s volley.

It looked to be an uphill struggle from that point against the side who brought the National League North’s best away record to Cantilever Park, but an 82nd-minute winner from skipper Josh Amis allowed them to bounce into the festive season in good spirits.

> Town 2 Banbury United 1 - full verdict

Amis headed home Mitch Duggan’s superb cross after Jay Harris had brought Town level before the break, and Beesley was pleased with how his players remained composed.

“It was a pleasing performance,” he said.

“Their goal gave us a bit of a bloody nose and sparked us into life.

“Sometimes that happens – it’s blowing a gale and you can’t get a foothold, something like that happens and it makes you roll your sleeves up and get going.

“From then on, I thought we were dominant.

“We didn’t want half time – we were in the ascendancy and putting them under pressure but having the wind against us in the second half helped us.

“It made us get the ball in behind them and we managed to cause them problems.

“We created chances, we hit the post and I didn’t think it was coming, but the lads here don’t give up. We kept pushing and it was a fitting winner with a great header.

“We’ve got composed and calm players on the pitch. They understand that we’re trying to do the right things and you’re hoping you get that one chance or break.

“If it comes earlier in the second half, we may have gone and got a couple more but we’re pleased with staying calm and getting the three points.”

The win moves Town up to 10th in the table at the halfway point of the season ahead of a festive double-header against local rivals Chester – Yellows visit the Deva Stadium on Boxing Day before the Cestrians make the return trip on New Year’s Day.

Beesley’s men go into the games having taken seven points from the last nine available and with their squad depth improving – Matty McDonald made his first appearance since the opening day off the bench while Bohan Dixon is available again for Boxing Day after serving a suspension.

“We’re pleased with this little block – we lost a couple on the bounce despite putting in some good performances, but we’ve bounced back with seven points which is good,” Beesley said.

“You always want more, but we’ve got 33 points at the halfway stage so we’ve got to be relatively pleased.

“I still look back and think we could have had more points still, but it’s important we keep improving because if we do, we’ll keep picking up points and pushing up the league.”