Warrington Town showed exactly why they sit 13 points clear at the top of the Evo-Stik NPL D1N on Monday night as they inflicted Harrogate Railway’s heaviest defeat of the season.
Gerard Kinsella put The Yellows ahead after just three minutes before Scott Metcalfe and Joseph Holt forced Railway into the break 3-0 down.
Warrington didn’t let up after the interval and added four more unanswered goals through Ben Deegan, Kinsella, Steven Gillespie and Ciaran Kilheeney to bring an end to Railway’s recent resurgence.
Lee Ashforth named the same starting XI that had earned a point at 2nd placed Northwich Victoria two days earlier as Rob Youhill made his first start back at Station View.
No doubt aware of Saturday’s upset, Warrington started with a real purpose and took the lead in the third minute when Kinsella was first to react to Harry Coates’ goal line block and placed the ball high into the goal.
Nathan Curtis tried to create an equaliser; running at the Warrington defence only to be denied by Alastair Brown before the visitors found a second in the 11th minute.
Following a clever advantage from the referee, Metcalfe broke free down the left hand side and arrowed a left footed strike across Chandler Hallwood and into the bottom corner.
Daniel Devine had shown promising signs going forward for Ashforth’s men, but it was Warrington who struck next when the pacy Holt shot from the right side of the area and beat Hallwood via the post.
Despite being behind, Youhill looked a danger to the Yellows’ defence and so nearly picked out Curtis with a pin point cross that James McCarten did well to head clear.
The Rail attack were becoming increasingly frustrated by the linesman’s flag, while at the other end, Hallwood was denying Warrington from all angles.
First the young stopper got down well to deny Kilheeney and block the follow up attempt, then the Bradford loanee held onto McCarten’s free kick with ease.
Just as they did in the first 45, Warrington got on the scoresheet almost immediately in the second half when Metcalfe’s free kick cannoned back off the post into the six yard box and was scrambled in by Deegan.
Devine threatened again at the other end with an effort on target but it was scorer of the first goal, Kinsella who stole the show in the 57th minute with a sublime volley from outside the box that flew into the top left corner.
With the result far beyond doubt Warrington continued to show their class and added a sixth 15 minutes from time when substitute Gillespie placed a penalty into the bottom right corner after Railway sub Jack Stockdill had been penalised for a trip.
The visitors got their seventh and final goal in the 79th minute when a cross from the right wing was headed back across goal and into the opposite corner by Kilheeney.
Youhill continued to fight for the Railway cause, bursting into the box and forcing Metcalfe into some defensive work but, in truth, Warrington were superior from the outset and fully deserved the three points.
Harrogate Railway 0-7 Warrington Town
Harrogate Railway: Hallwood, Mellor (Parkes 58), Lovegreen, Low, Coates, Thirkell, Devine (Stockdill 60), Clamp, Youhill, Ovington (Sharrocks 53), Curtis
Subs not used: Barrett, Sharrocks, Owen, Parkes, Stockdill
Warrington: Wills, Brown, Lea (Dean 78), Ventre, McCarten, O’Donnell, Holt (Gaghan 60), Kinsella, Kilheeney, Deegan (Gillespie 70), Metcalfe
Subs not used: Robinson, Beattie
Goals: Kinsella 3, 57, Metcalfe 11, Holt 24, Deegan 49, Gillespie 75, Kilheeney 79
Referee: S Barrott
Match Report by Hal Boxhall-dockree
