AN Allan Collins goal eight minutes from time salvaged a point for Warrington Town in a 1-1 draw with Clitheroe at Cantilever Park.
Warrington had a terrible start as defender Mike Duffy headed a cross into his own net giving keeper Chris Oldfield no chance.
Town had started brightest, with Louis Corrigan seeing his free kick go narrowly wide before Collins was pulled down on the edge of the box, with referee Mr Clayton awarding a free kick rather than a penalty kick.
Against the run of play, the visitors took the lead in the 9th minute, a quick break away saw striker Jordan Hulme’s powerful cross, unfortunately, headed into his own net by Town defender Mike Duffy.
After the goal, Clitheroe began to control the game, with striker Bobby Langford heading over when well placed. As the game wore on, Town began to once again take control, Corrigan’s curling free kick, almost headed into his own net by defender Jack Higgins, before Town goalkeeper Chris Oldfield was called into action to deny the visitors a two goal lead, saving well from Hulme’s close range unmarked header.
Right on the stroke of half time, Town had their best chance of the game when recalled striker Chris Gahgan latched onto youngster Nick Jackson’s clearance to bare down on Clitheroe goalkeeper Zak Hibbert, only for a poor touch to allow the goalkeeper to collect before he could get his shot away.
The second was just as bitty and untidy as it’s predecessor, with neither side able to get into a rhythm early on, as the majority of the game was played in the middle third of the field. The first chance of the half came in the 61st minute, with Oldfield palming away a dangerous looking free kick.
Town were given fresh impetus going forward with the introduction of Anthony Hickey from the substitutes bench. As the game wore on, Warrington took contol in search of the equaliser their play deserved. Allan Collins going close soon after, charging down Hibbert’s kick, only to see the rebound go wide of the upright.
Town had a great chance to equalise with 12 minutes to go, Hickey’s powerful drive from the edge of the penalty area, was only parried by Hibbert, Collins poking the rebound wide at full stretch.
As time wore on, manager Joey Dunn introduced another forward, with Jamie Henders being called into the fray. Town somehow were denied an equaliser with seven minutes left, as a goalmouth scramble fell to Collins, who saw his header cleared off the goalline by defender Chris Smalley, with Hibbert well beaten.
Just a minute later, and Town did, finally, manage to find the equaliser that their play deserved, Collins sweeping the ball home from six yards after River Humphreys saw his shot blocked by Smalley in a packed penalty area.
Despite scoring so late, Town continued to control the game, and went close to finding a winner with two minutes to go, Collins seeing his drive go narrowly over the bar, before the same player, beat the visitors offside trap, only to see his pull back cleared by the retreating Clitheroe rearguard.
The draw took Warrington’s unbeaten run to eight games but it was over
all a disappointing performance against a side struggling at the wrong
end of the table.
Allan Collins celebrates his equaliser.
Town: Oldfield, Duffy, Cross, Humphreys, Hardwick, Wade, Collins, Jackson (Hickey, 67), Gahgan, Thompson (Henders, 81), Corrigan, subs not used: Madin, Shipton
Atten: 191
