Warrington Town 3 Basford United 0

WARRINGTON Town are through to the FA Trophy third round draw, which takes place on Monday, for the first time since 2008.

Their 3-0 win against nine-man Basford United was more or less sealed by the break.

The visitors had two men sent off in quick succession, with the Yellows already one goal ahead.

Hotshot Ciaran Kilheeney scored the first two goals and likely claim the third.

He had already given the hosts the lead and was then brought down when through on goal by last man Billy Bennett, who was given his marching orders by the referee.

Midfielder Courey Grantham then followed him for an early bath after being shown a red for an apparent stamp on the stroke of half time to the dismay of the on-looking Basford chairman.

Basford, who play at the same level as Town but in the south division, did not arrive at Cantilever Park in great form.

They were without a win in three outings, while Warrington had gone top of the league with a win on their last outing.

The pitch at Cantilever Park was in excellent condition given the weather but the incessant rain got in the way of either side finding any sort of rhythm in the first half.

In fact it was quarter of an hour until either goalkeeper had a save to make, Basford’s Saul Deeney comfortably getting down to stop Nathan Burke’s curling effort.

Former Republic of Ireland Under 21 international Deeney was probably the visitors'best player, especially in the first half, sweeping up at the back behind his back four.

He couldn’t prevent Town taking the lead midway through the first half though, when Kilheeney beat him to Scott Metcalfe’s cross to put the hosts ahead.

Basford rarely looked like troubling Karl Wills and their task got harder when left-back Bennett brought Kilheeney down as the striker raced through on goal.

Although James McCarten hit the resulting free-kick from the edge of the box well over, the damage was done.

And it went from bad to worse when Grantham went in heavily on Alex McQuade and was also dismissed.

It enabled Warrington to dictate the tempo at the start of the second half and they eventually got the important second goal on 56 minutes, Kilheeney steering the ball home right-footed off Metcalfe’s ball across from the left.

Kilheeney will look to claim the third goal, which appeared to go in off defender Rob Darkin’s head from McQuade’s teasing left wing cross on 66 minutes.

Town could have had a few more, with both Kilheeney and substitute Ben Wharton having goals chalked off for offside, but they progress comfortably and can look forward to Monday's draw and their next outing.

Shaun Reid’s men start their defence of the Doodson Sport Cup at Ramsbottom United on Tuesday, kick-off 7.45pm.

Warrington Town: Wills, Turner, McQuade, Ventre (Rudge), McCarten, O’Donnell, Gahgan, Burke, Kilheeney, Deegan (Wharton), Metcalfe (Grogan). Unused subs: Robinson, Lester.

Basford Utd: Deeney, McNicholas, Bennett, Hollis (Anderson), Darkin, Meikle (Helliwell), Grantham, Grayson, Wiggins-Thomas, Bopp, Smith (Pickbourne). Unused subs: Hendrie, Duffy.