A DREAM start with a goal after just 40 seconds turned into a second half nightmare as Warrington Town crashed out of the Unibond League Cup 6-1 at near neighbours Leigh Genesis last night.
Town Manager Joey Dunn handed a debut to four recent signings and gave two other players their first start for the club.
Town were ahead within 40 seconds, when debutant striker Tony Evans coolly slotted home past keeper Dean Porter with his first touch for the club.
But Leigh were soon back in the game and looking for an equaliser, winger Jack Dorney cutting in from the right and blasting narrowly over the bar and striker Chris Baguley chipped over the bar. Town went close to scoring on 21 minutes when Evans flashed a header across the face of Porter’s goal. The home side went close to scoring when Chris Thompson saw his header kicked off the line by full back Darren Kinsey. Leigh should have had an equaliser on the stroke of half time, when striker Baguley saw his effort on the stretch, go over the bar, when it was arguably easier to score.
Leigh started the second half well again, midfielder Dale Whittam shooting straight at Richie Mottram in the Town goal. Leigh got their equaliser in the 63rd minute, less than a minute after substitute Jimmy McCarthy saw his header smuggled off the linem with Baguley getting on the end of a flick on from a long throw to finish at the far post. Leigh were now totally in control and five minutes later went ahead, when Thompson scored with a neat finish at the far post. Leigh went further ahead straight from the kick off, when Thompson capitalised on a slip by centre half Paul Bowes, to round Mottram and find the back of the net.
Thompson scored his hat trick after finishing off from a cross by substitute Kris King. The same players combined two minutes later to make it 5-1, as Thompson yet again got on the end of a cross to slot home. The final goal came in injury time when Baguley drove home unchallenged from outside the box.
With Saturday’s big FA Cup clash looming against Radcliffe Borough on Saturday, kick off 3pm and an important league game at home to Ossett Albion next Tuesday, kick off 7.45pm, manager Dunn used the game to trial his new signings and two give fringe squad players a chance to show what they were capable of.
While the result was disappointing, especially for the large Warrington following, it will soon be forgotten if Town kick on in the FA Cup and league.
Pictures show new striker Tony Evans opening the scoring within a minute, fellow debutant Joe McClennan jumping a tackle and skipper for the night Eddie Smith in action.
Town: Mottram, Sean Richards (d) (Hadland, 76), Kinsey, Ryan Dacey (d), Bowes, Taylor (c), Joe McClennan (d), Smith, Tony Evans (d) (McCarthy, 57), Smeeton (fs), Roberts (fs) (Gahgan, 68), subs not used : Hardwick, Grogan
