Warrington Town goalkeeper scores again in Alfreton draw

For the second time this season, the goalkeeper nodded home a last-gasp leveller as Yellows came from 2-0 down to secure a point.

Dan Atherton glances home his dramatic late equaliser (Image: Sean Walsh)

He did similar to rescue a draw at home to Farsley Celtic earlier this season as Mark Beesley's side fought back from a hopeless position.

Having fallen behind early to Liam Waldock's penalty, the visitors looked set for a fourth straight win when Billy Fewster slid home a second goal on the counter-attack.

However, Andre Wisdom's excellent solo goal - his first for the club - set up a grandstand finish before Atherton's dramatic intervention.

Read Matt Turner's verdict on the match below

FROM nothing, something…

With five minutes to go, Warrington Town were limping towards a second home defeat inside a week, and an equally dismal one at that.

While they weren’t dominated as they were against Tamworth in midweek, they struggled to make an impact against a well-drilled and resolute Alfreton side.

Town's best chance before their late fightback came in the first half when Isaac Buckley-Ricketts was denied at point-blank range by Alfreton keeper George Willis (Image: Sean Walsh)

For the Reds, it was perilously close to being a perfect away performance – they got the early lead their positive start deserved, comfortably repelled anything that came their way from the hosts and took their chance on the counter-attack in the second half.

There was precious little coming back as while Town pretty much monopolised possession, the visitors were holding them at arm’s length.

The onus was on them to create but that has proved an issue in the past couple of games, and it looked set to cost them again.

That was, however, until Andre Wisdom took matters into his own hands, weaved his way through a previously impregnable defence and slotted home to set up a frantic finish.

Mark Beesley made a tactical call to switch Wisdom from right back to central midfield for the second half and in that moment, his decision was vindicated.

Andre Wisdom slots home to set up Town's late comeback (Image: Sean Walsh)

All of a sudden, Cantilever Park was alive and an Alfreton side that looked so composed were suddenly at sixes and sevens.

The stage was set for yet another late, late show. Would there be a hero? Enter Dan Atherton…

His unlikely exploits have already pulled his teammates out of the fire once this season but unbelievably, he was the goalscoring hero again.

The ball just seems to be attracted to him in either box and after Dec Walker put the ball perfectly on his head with a pinpoint free kick, he glanced home in a fashion any striker will have been proud of.

While it could be said the result and the manner in which is was achieved papers over what was another largely limp display, this squad’s key attribute came gloriously to the fore again.

No matter the situation, there is simply no quit in this side and those characteristics will drag them out of the mire on plenty of occasions.

The evidence is there – goals scored in the 90th minute or later have now gained them six points this season – but Beesley will no doubt be hoping for things to be less frenetic in weeks to come.

However it arrived, it is another point closer to safety and in case it was not clear already, leaving Cantilever Park early is very much ill-advised.

Warrington Town: Atherton, White, Hannigan (Gumbs), Woods, Williams (McDonald), Dixon, Buckley-Ricketts, Wisdom, Grivosti (Amis), Clarke. Subs not used: Goudie, Sinnott