Warrington Town 2-3 Basford United (Northern Premier League) 28.09.21

Substitute Josh Scott scored a sensational overhead kick with three minutes remaining to secure a superb come-from-behind victory for Basford United at Warrington on Tuesday night.

Jordan Buckley and Josh Amis had put Town two up after an hour only for Steve Chettle’s men to draw level through Brad Gascoigne and Matt Thornhill late on.

Striker Amis was then dismissed for a foul on Stef Galinski before Scott sent the travelling fans into raptures as United extend their winning run to seven in all competitions, despite Marcus Marshall’s sending off deep into injury time.

“I don’t think I enjoyed it as much as the staff when we scored the third, but obviously I enjoyed the win,” A grinning Steve Chettle said. “It was the hard way of doing it and I said that to the players after the game.

“I thought we started the second half really, really well and the sending off potentially changes things, but we moved the ball a whole lot better, we used our overloads better and we found gaps where there weren’t gaps before.

“It could have been more in the end,” Chettle added. “Their ‘keeper has made a few unbelievable saves right at the death from Reco [Fyfe], Matty [Thornhill] and Terry [Hawkridge] but overall, a very pleasing night.

“It’s tough here. It’s a tough place to come to and to win is absolutely brilliant.”

Boss Chettle made two changes to the side that saw off Nantwich at the weekend as Galinski made his first start since August and Aaron O’Connor was rested.

The game was uneventful throughout the opening stages despite referee Matthew McQuillan’s best efforts to disrupt an otherwise harmless tie; Marshall, Amis and James Harris all cautioned within the opening 25 minutes.

Early possession from both sides yielded very little and both Amis and Bohan Dixon shared half-chances for the hosts that did nothing to worry Adam Collin.

Marshall was then denied a certain penalty when he was upended by Daniel Atherton, only for the flag of the nearside linesman to negate all appeals before Buckley, on the end of a fine cross from Sean Williams, slid home the opener for Town just before the half hour.

Claims of a handball from a floored Galinski went ignored ten minutes before the break and, at the other end, Rev James failed to get anything on the end of Marshall’s dangerous cross and got little change out of Matty Regan in the home defence.

A frantic game continued early in the second period with Ryan Wilson – in unchartered territory – stinging the fingertips of the on-loan Altrincham ‘keeper Atherton from all of 40 yards, who excellently tipped over.

Terry Hawkridge then had a shot deflected wide as United looked for a way back into the tie, though faced a monumental task when Amis – once of Preston North End – fired powerful past Collin for Warrington’s second shortly after the restart.

Reco Fyfe was introduced on the hour and sparked some much-needed life into a United side hoping to preserve their impressive run of late, though it was Amis who proved to be an unlikely and inadvertent aid.

Challenging aerially with Galinski, a stray elbow caught the returning defender, and he was given his marching orders by McQuillan and from there the game turned.

On 64 minutes, Marshall did well to break through the tackles of two but curled his effort marginally wide of Atherton’s post, before they eventually found a deserved way back into it six minutes later.

Owen Betts thundered a rasping strike off a post – possibly via a deflection – and when the ball was recycled, defender Brad Gascoigne, with poise and accuracy, smartly volleyed into the bottom corner to halve the deficit.

Well on top, Hawkridge – with typical creativity – played in James who had a shot desperately blocked as Town were rooted deep in their own box, before Marshall then teed up an onrushing Thornhill who dragged marginally wide.

However, their pressure paid off ten minutes from time when the skipper reacted quickest to pounce on a loose ball – pinballing around a body of players – to prod home the equaliser as they looked for an unlikely winner.

And all home dreams were shattered when, three minutes from time, a cross was hoisted in, Mark Roberts could only head high rather than away, and Mansfield Town loanee Scott acrobatically fired into the bottom corner to cap off a simply magnificent night for the visitors.

United’s attention turns to FA Cup and the Third Qualifying Round when they welcome Banbury United to Greenwich Avenue on Saturday, October 2 (15:00).

“Josh [Scott] has played a bit part so far but I’m so pleased for him,” Chettle rounded off, when asked about Scott’s time at United. “He played the first game against Witton Albion and not had a lot of football.

“I did say to him when he was warming-up to stay high up the pitch and go and get us a goal and for it to be the winner makes it even special for him – I’m delighted.”

Warrington Town: Daniel Atherton, Mitch Duggan, Eddie Clarke, Jay Harris (Matty Grivosti 55), Mark Roberts, Matty Regan, Sean Williams, Luke Griffiths (Evan Gumbs 76), Josh Amis, Bohan Dixon, Jordan Buckley

Basford United: Adam Collin, Owen Betts, Ryan Wilson, Brad Gascoigne, Stef Galinski, Declan Dunn, Terry Hawkridge, Matt Thornhill (Dom Roma 89), Marcus Marshall, Kane Richards (Reco Fyfe 62), Rev James (Josh Scott 79)

Venue: Cantilever Park 302

*Article provided by Marc Williams (Basford United Correspondent).

*Main image @BasfordUtd Matt Thornhill (left) and Josh Scott celebrate United’s late winner.