FA Carlsberg Trophy Preliminary Round
Warrington Town 1 Leek Town 2
A SECOND-HALF brace from Karl Charlton fired Leek Town through to the first qualifying round of the FA Trophy while inflicting a first defeat of the season on Warrington Town.
Blues had to come from behind after the host struck from the spot shortly before the hour mark. But less than two minutes later Charlton netted the equaliser before nodding home the winner three minutes from time.
Blues boss Lee Casswell said: "I'm absolutely delighted with the result. We knew it would be difficult - it was a tough draw similar to the recent FA Cup game against Evesham.
"But it was a good result for us. We played well and were tight at the back and looked good going forward. Over the last couple of weeks we've made good progress and the prize money we've brought into the club has put us in a healthy position with two more cup games coming up."
Casswell made two enforced changes to his side, replacing unavailable duo Peter Wright and Sam Hall with Tim Grice and Ashley Woolliscroft while at left-back Ricky Bridge was preferred to Matt Bell.
Blues were first to show when Woolliscroft drove a free-kick high into the box inside the opening but the keeper held well in the face of challenges from Matt Haddrell and Charlton.
In the fifth minute Sanders had to be quick to make amends following an errant back pass with Phil Davies looking to capitalise. Five minutes later Haddrell headed on for Grice who hooked a shot way over the crossbar while at the other end John Miles shot straight at the Leek keeper.
Lloyd-Weston then saved from Liam Shipton before Leek came close to opening the scoring in the 19th minute. Ross Davidson raced down the left channel before sending in a shot that caused panic in the Wire’s six-yard box, And it took two clearances off the line to avert the danger.
Warrington countered in the 24th minute when Miles lifted a corner into the Leek box and James McCarten rose only to then see his header clip the top of the crossbar. Shipton's fierce shot was saved by Lloyd-Weston with his legs as Warrington continued to press moments later.
Play then swung from end to end with neither side carving out much in the way of clear-cut chances before the whistle brought a goalless opening 45 to a close. In the 55th minute Haddrell and Davidson combined to set up Urwin whose angled shot flew across the face of goal and wide of the far post.
Warrington broke the deadlock in the 58th minute when Townson went to ground under the slightest of nudges from Melling and the referee pointed to the spot. Townson elected to take the spot-kick himself and sent Lloyd-Weston the wrong way to open the scoring.
However, the lead lasted less than two minutes. Charlton blasted home through a sea of legs after Haddrell’s original shot was blocked. And Leek came close to taking the lead in the 66th minute following a good move involving Melling, Haddrell and Stevenson whose shot was cleared off the line.
Warrington continued to offer threat of their own. Townson jinked into the Leek box and Lloyd-Weston had to be at his best to palm his shot wide for a corner that Flynn then headed wide. But Leek suddenly started to turn the screw.
Stevenson made a good run forward in the 70th minute before his shot was saved on the line. In the 83rd minute Sanders crossed into the box and Bell headed on for Haddrell who was inches away with a looping header.
Less than 60 seconds later Bell blasted in a shot that was gathered on the line at the second attempt. Blues pressure finally paid off in the dying minutes when Sanders drove a corner into the box and up popped Charlton to sneak a header inside the back post.
Warrington: Judge, Reid (McEvilly 68), Miles, Dogan, Flynn, McCarten, Mooney (Ablett 51), Aley, Davies, Shipton, Townson. Unused Subs: Virtue, Glass, Ruane.
Leek: Lloyd-Weston, Sanders, Bridge, Smith, Melling, Woolliscroft, Grice (Urwin 43), Davidson, Haddrell, Charlton, Stevenson (Bell 82). Unused subs: Millar, Ruddock.
