Warrington Town 3

Curzon Ashton 1

SOCCER'S shameful side marred what was otherwise a wonderful night for Warrington Town on Tuesday.

They shunted North Western Trains League Division Two leaders Curzon Ashton out of the FA Vase but only after losing their club skipper to a dreadful elbow blow.

Substitute Andy Tague, who had only been on the field a few minutes, was poleaxed by a hefty mid-air challenge by Curzon defender Niel Taylor and ended up in hospital.

Afterwards Town's manager Dave Hughes said: "That was shocking. The fellow should have been sent off for that.

"The referee must have seen what he had done because he booked him. Andy was left with a cut on his forehead that needed seven stitches."

Town, who had five ex-Curzon players in their side, drew 3-3 at the weekend to earn the first round replay at Cantilever Park and in both games had key men missing which made their achievement all the more admirable.

The absence of inspirational midfielder Terry Nestor and front man Kevin Tyrell was balanced in part by the return of central defender Mike Tandy from a hamstring injury.

It was an incident-packed tie which took Town's run against Curzon to seven games without defeat in the past 12 months.

The killer goal four minutes from time had a bizarre build-up.

Striker Jed Bushell was hobbling and ready to be substituted after being clattered in the calves by the Curzon goalkeeper.

Outstanding midfielder Dave Tickle lost his contact lenses and had his manager Hughes scouring in the grass to find them. It was a lost cause and Tickle carried on without them.

Moments later it was Tickle who whipped in a lovely pass for Bushell to chase. The striker gritted his teeth, shrugged off his leg pain and raced 30m before slamming the ball beneath 'keeper Tommy Allan to seal the win.

It completed Town's fightback as they had been 1-0 down from the ninth minute when Darryl Gardiner fired home a rebound

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