The visitors are now just one point away from the league title after pouncing on one serious Glossop North End error during the game to net a second half winner. Warrington had more possession, and exerted a touch more pressure as a result, but The Hillmen held their own and will take heart from their performance as they seek their own point needed to qualify for the play-offs.
Skirmishes were shared in the first half with a Gerard Kinsella shot blocked for the visitors and Mark Reed just unable to get purchase on a header from Astley Mulholland’s free kick for Glossop North End.
On 23 minutes, Wire’s Scott Metcalfe hit a grubbing shot from 25 yards that seemed comfortable to save, but then seemed to spin off the surface and forced Andy Robertson to get down quickly and push the ball wide. Shortly afterwards the ball fell to Joe Holt on the edge of the box and his shot cannoned off the bar, much to Glossop’s relief.
Early in the second half, Reed’s snapshot was comfortably saved by Karl Wills in the Warrington goal. Indeed the goalkeeper handled the ball excellently all afternoon, patrolling his box and plucking nearly ever Glossop ball out of the air. It gave his defence confidence and was one of the keys to their eventual clean sheet.
However had Reed’s swivelled shot from Tom Bailey’s cut back on 54 minutes been on target he would have had no chance, however the effort was just the wrong side of the post, rather than inside it. One minute later, Warrington punished them for it.
Scott Metcalf again tried his luck from 20 yards, and this time Robertson could not hold the shot, parrying to the edge of his 6 yard box. The league’s leading scorer, Ciaran Kilheeney was alert, and pounced upon the ball to slot home from short range.
For a spell, Glossop were rocking, and Robertson had to push another Metcalfe shot wide, with the help of the post, Ben Richardson had to clear a James McCarten header off the line and Robertson again made amends when Kilheeney got behind the defence only for his chance to be snuffed out by the Glossop North End keeper.
As time went on, Warrington got a bit deeper, and Glossop were able to exert pressure of their own. Jamie Rainford curled a shot that Wills saved comfortably, and put a free kick from the edge of the area wide. Tom Bailey had a chance to net when the ball fell at his feet on the corner of the 6 yard box, but the ball bounced off him before he realised the chance was there.
They pressed to the end, Robertson up for a corner which was the last kick of the game, but it wasn’t to be. Ultimately Warrington had shown a little touch of champions, in many ways reminding Glossop North End fans of how their teams was in the NWCFL last season. It is a tremendous achievement that they are so close to the very top teams in this new league already.
