WARRINGTON Town maintained their unbeaten run with a thrilling 4-2 FA Cup replay victory over Bamber Bridge last night, setting up a mouthwatering 3rd qualifying round clash with Stalybridge Celtic from the Northern Conference.
Town were taking on Bamber Bridge for the third time in eight days with the previous two matches int he league and cup finishing 1-1.
Warrington took the lead with the first real attack just before the quarter hour, Rob Hardwick scoring his first goal for the club, playing a one two with striker Tony Evans on the edge of the penalty area before slamming home a drive from the edge of the box. 
Town were the better of the two sides, with Evans going close soon after, seeing his effort cleared off the line, without realising the linesman had his flag raised. Bamber were looking dangerous on the break, and Town were indebted to goalkeeper Paul Pritchard soon after, with the keeper making a fine save at his near post to deny Bamber striker Darren Green. Within a minute, Town should have gone further ahead, when Gavin Salmon found himself through on goal, but saw his shot well saved by Bamber’s former Preston North End keeper Ben Hinchliffe, who was called into action soon after to deny Evans. With Town in control of the game, the visitors were next to go close, full back Martin Crowder curling his free kick narrowly wide of Pritchard’s left upright. It was no surprise when Town went further ahead just after the half hour, Tony Evans sliding into finish full back Mike Duffy’s excellent centre, after the home side had almost scored an own goal when defender Michael White, got into a mix up with Hinchliffe, the defender just managing to clear off the line, only for the ball to fall to Duffy. In the act of scoring Evans injured himself and had to be replaced by young striker John Bathurst. Bamber pushed forward looking for a goal to get back into the game, only to see striker Chris Thompson head wide when well placed. Five minutes before half time, Bamber found a precious goal, defender Phil Denney finding himself
unmarked in the six yard box to slam home a header beyond Pritchard and into the roof of the net.
Within five minutes of the restart, Town had regained their two goal lead from an unlikely source, man-of-the-match full back Duffy playing in a wing role, creating the overlap, before cutting inside and unleashing a powerful drive beyond a helpless Hinchliffe and into the bottom corner of the net. Once again Bamber pushed forward, but could not find a way past Pritchard, who once again produced a fine save to deny Green’s shot on the spin. Town could have sewn up the game just before the hour, when Gavin Salmon screwed his shot across the face of Hinchliffe’s goal. Just five minutes later, Town did secure the game, and a place in the next round, when Rob Hardwick, got onto the end of a great team move to slam home another drive from the edge of the box. Still the visitors would not give up, and soon after forced Pritchard to tip a goalbound effort onto the crossbar, and Tom Hardwick to clear the rebound off the goalline. 
The flashpoint of the game came just a quarter of an hour from the end of the game, with Bamber striker Chris Thompson seeing red for leading with the elbow in a clash with Town’s commanding captain Mike Tomlinson, which insensed Tomlinson’s colleagues, with referee Mr Astley having no choice but to produce a red card.
Lively substitute Anthony Hickey went close for Town shortly before the finish, picking up a poor clearance by Hinchliffe, before seeing his lob go narrowly over the bar with Hinchliffe beaten. Bamber scored a second goal with three miniutes remaining, Green with an unmarked diving header from within the six yard box.
meanwhile town stand-in full-back Andy Potter twice forced corners with excellent efforts from outside of the box, as Town piled on the pressure right to the end.
Warrington will now entertain Stalybridge Celtic on Saturday October 9 kick off 3pm looking to pull off a “giant killing act.”
Meanwhile Warrington return to action in the F.A Trophy on Saturday with a trip to Shepshed Dynamo from the Evo-Stik South, looking to maintain their fine run of form.
Pictures show Striker Gavin Salmon going close with one of several chances he had and man-of-the-match Duffy celebrating his wonder goal.
For more pictures from the game CLICK HERE
Town: Pritchard, Duffy, Corrigan (Ness, 82), T Hardwick, Tomlinson (c), Kennedy, Potter, R Hardwick, Evans (Bathurst, 34), Salmon (Hickey, 79), Gahgan, subs not used: Rutter, Millington
