AN early goal from Stefan Mols proved enough for Warrington Town to return to winning ways against Radcliffe.
The Spanish midfielder headed home from makeshift left-back Mitch Duggan’s cross in the third minute and the Yellows survived a second half onslaught from the visitors to secure a much-needed three-points.
Excellent centre-back Evan Gumbs twice cleared off the line and Luca Navarro rattled a post as the hosts held on.
They couldn’t have asked for a better start after three straight defeats when Mols and Josh Seary opened up the visitors down the right hand side, and when Seary’s cross was cleared, Duggan lofted the ball back in for Mols to head past Tom Stewart.
Mikey Howard started on the left with Stefan Mols coming in for Isaac Buckley-Ricketts, and Bohan Dixon returning in place of the suspended Jay Harris.
Howard had a couple of half looks at the Radcliffe goal, firing right across the box on 11 minutes when found in a good position by Matty McDonald, and then lashing a first time effort well over after Josh Amis had nodded down from Seary’s cross.
Radcliffe had their share of an entertaining first half, but it wasn’t until the 42nd minute that they came close to scoring, Robert Grant heading just wide from Nicky Adams’ right wing cross.
An open game continued after the break and Amis perhaps should have done better when Sean Williams poked the ball through the middle in the early stages.
Amis then held the ball up well to find Howard, whose cross found the diagonal run of Mols who headed just wide under pressure from Stewart.
After then though, the chances largely came at the other end.
Rick Smith lashed a first time shot wide from a corner, Tom Hannigan was forced off injured to be replaced by Teddy Mfuni, making his home debut.
Midway through the second half, Radcliffe should have equalised when Jake Thompson’s shot beat his name sake Tony only for Gumbs to get back and clear off the line.
Karacan kept the ball alive though and somehow the Yellows kept the ball out in a scramble on the line, with Gumbs again clearing off the line and Luca Navarro being denied from four yards out.
A nice one-two between Luke Joyce and Navarro resulted in the latter shooting against a post and the visitors could have had a penalty when the ball appeared to come back off Mols’ arm in the box.
But after that flurry of chances, the Yellows managed to settle things down again but with five minutes to go, Thompson had to be out quick to save well from Grant at the edge of his box.
In five minutes added on time, a decisive block by Mitch Duggan denied substitute Gareth Evans after Grant had held up the ball in the box.
The Yellows held on to give them a vital win ahead of Tuesday night’s visit of Rylands.
Warrington Town: Thompson, Seary, Duggan, Hannigan (Mfuni), Gumbs, McDonald, Mols, Williams (Buckley-Ricketts), Amis (Walker), Dixon, Howard. Unused subs: Duffy, Murray.
Radcliffe: Stewart, J Evans (Rydel), Fitzpatrick, Joyce, Smith, Thornley, Oyibo (Navarro), Adams, Thompson (G Evans), Grant, Karacan. Unused subs: Carter, Mercer.
