UniBond League Division One
Cantilever Park, Warrington
Friday, 14th April 2006, 3.00pm
Stalemate at Warrington
It's unbelievable that Warrington had to call off their Tuesday night game off due to a waterlogged pitch because for today's game the surface was very hard, dry and dusty with an uneven surface that denied either side the clear-cut chances needed to win the game.
Early on Paul Edwards went close after connecting with Gary White's long throw-in but his header landed on the top of the net.
Two minutes later Town's Dave Shaw should have given his side the lead after Phil Mitchell's free kick had found him totally unmarked but the striker missed the target from close in.
On 22 minutes Gresley had another chance when Warrington keeper Richard Mottram's clearance hit Edwards but he recovered enough to save a shot at the foot of a post.
Town had another chance when Kevin Towey played the ball back for Graeme Mitchell, but he could only shoot into the side-netting after being forced wide by goalkeeper Tommy Whittle.
Gresley thought they'd taken the lead on 25 minutes when Aaron O'Connor drove emphatically home, but Edwards was harshly adjudged to have fouled Douggie Pitts in the build-up.
Mottram did well two minutes later to deny O'Connor who'd run onto a pass from Mickey Lyons before shooting on the turn.
Shaw missed another chance for the home team when he connected with a free kick from Chris Fitzsimmons but the header went wide of the far post.
Gresley were on top for long periods in the second half and on 50 minutes Matt Millns was unlucky to head over and minutes later Edwards fired O'Connor's flicked pass wide.
Mottram kept his side in the game with a good save from Lyons, who had linked well with Nicky Carter before seeing his shot taken at the second attempt by the keeper.
O'Connor had a couple of chances but put his shots wide before Matt Millns had a header saved.
On 70mins a through ball by David Holmes to Jamie Barrett enabled the midfielder to beat the keeper to the chase before laying the ball back for Edwards in the centre, but Mottram recovered to produce a superb save, the best of the game.
Substitute Steve Gomm, on for Edwards, did well to head the ball down to O'Connor on 81 minutes who managed to evaded two challenges before firing just wide.
The Gresley keeper, who'd been largely a spectator for most of the second period, was called upon on 84 minutes having to make a save from Towey.
Gresley had one last chance to grab all three points with just four minutes remaining, but O'Connor could only head Gomms's right wing cross straight into the arms of the grateful Mottram.
Manager's View
"In some respects today's match was a bit of a let down after Tuesday's game because we wanted to build on that performance. But, it was always going to be difficult on that surface. We looked at the pitch before the game; it was played on last night it was very, very bobbly and it's difficult to believe that they'd had a game called off here on Tuesday night due to water logging because tonight it was dry and it wasn't conducive to playing to our strengths which is getting the ball down and trying to play.
"Earlier in the season we might have lost this game whereas today it's another point on the board and another clean sheet. It's our fourth away game without defeat of which three were clean sheets. I can't remember when we last had back-to-back clean sheets so defensively we did our job today and I can't remember Tommy Whittle having to make a save.
"We had chances in the first half and in the second. Their keeper made a couple of good saves but things just didn't drop for us. We put a lot of pressure on them and they defended tremendously well baring in mind that a lot of them played last night against Bishop Auckland.
"It was one of those days when things wouldn't go for us. One-nil here would have been a fantastic result and we'd have taken that but we haven't and it's another point on the board. It still asks questions of those chasing us who either played this afternoon or this evening.
"There were some good chances and as everyone was going past in that second half. It was a scrappy game but the bits of quality in the offensive third from both sides came from our boys today and the movement of Paul Edwards and Aaron O'Connor for one or two little half opportunities we created was great. On another day one of those are going to put one of them away but it wasn't happening today. Aaron had a good opportunity but he scuffed a couple of shots and he forced their keeper into a couple of good saves and that's all you can do.
"Don't take anything away from Warrington Town today they scrapped and battled and dug in today. Offensively they haven't created too much but defensively that was a very resolute performance. Earlier in the season we'd have got frustrated and thrown bodies forward and lacked discipline at the back and got caught on the break and probably have lost that game.
"It's frustrating for the supporters because they want to come and see us play as well as we did against Kendal and get the ball down and work it but it's just not possible on, as Mickey Lyons said before the game, a typical April pitch.
"We showed all the qualities to our game that's going to stand us in good stead in these last few games and potentially the play offs should we get there. We showed battling qualities and we stuck to our task well, we were patient and resolute and right at the end we may have nicked the win which I thought we deserved. But, we are not overly disappointed in the point and the clean sheet.
"All the players are frustrated in not getting the win but I've just said to them that earlier in the season we'd have killed for this sort of form today away from home and what a very different story it would have been had we have put a few more points on the board away from home."
