WARRINGTON Town were held to a draw for the third successive game as they started 2023 with a 1-1 stalemate at Nantwich Town.
The New Year could hardly have got off to a worse start for Mark Beesley’s side as they fell behind inside just nine seconds.
Dabbers winger Mo Malumo played a nice one-two on the edge of the box and then screwed a shot across and beyond Tony Thompson.
That was the beginning of a wobbly opening 20 minutes for the visitors, where twice they coughed up possession in their own area and were fortunate that Jack Sherratt shot wildly when well placed.
Sherratt did get a shot on target midway through the first half, and it was well saved by Thompson, who then punched away for the rebound which just wouldn’t come down for lone forward Byron Harrison.
The Yellows did eventually grow in to the game though, and particularly when Isaac Buckley-Ricketts and Luke Duffy swapped wings.
Just before that, Buckley-Ricketts had driven down the right and put a cross up for Duffy which almost fell for Buckley, but for the intervention of Will Booth.
Booth would soon be busy dealing with near post crosses as the Yellows finally found a way in behind the Nantwich defence down the sides.
Duffy, White and Buckley-Ricketts all got in good positions and had crosses blocked by ‘keeper or defender, and then when they did manage to pull it back, Sean Williams’ shot was blocked by a desperate Troy Bourne lunge.
The equaliser came on 37 minutes when Mitch Duggan’s cross was nodded down by Buckley-Ricketts for Andy White, who saw his first shot blocked but then lashed home the second chance in to the top corner for his first goal for the club.
There only looked like one winner for most of the second half, Dixon drilling a shot just wide and then Duffy forcing a smart stop from Booth, pushing a shot over the bar.
Nantwich almost gifted the Yellows a winner shortly after the hour, losing possession on the edge of the own box, but Duffy could only drag his shot just wide of the post.
Josh Amis, back after his three-match ban, came on for the final 20 minutes and he had the ball in the back of the net from fellow sub Eddie Clarke’s cross, only for the linesman’s offside flag to deny him the goal.
Jay Harris’ long ball over the top released Buckley-Ricketts, who opted to pull back for Amis in the box, but Bourne continued his fine rearguard action by putting behind for a corner.
The hosts, having seemed happy with a draw for the most part, came to life in the closing stages without causing any trouble for Thompson in the Yellows goal.
It’s the first of six games in 19 days for the Yellows, with the re-arranged trips to Hyde (January 10) and Atherton Collieries (January 17) now scheduled in for Tuesday nights.
Nantwich Town: Booth, Patrick, Lawton, Bourne, Moran, Hughes, Malumo (Chiduka), Sherratt (Bircumshaw), Harrison, Scully, Caton. Unused subs: Edwards, Angles, Hawkins.
Warrington Town: Thompson, Duggan (Seary), White, Hannigan, Gumbs, Harris, Buckley-Ricketts, Williams, Buckley (Amis), Dixon, Duffy (Clarke). Unused subs: Mols, Walker.
