WARRINGTON Town dropped out of the Northern Premier League Premier Division play-off spots after dropping points at home.
Osebi Abadaki’s goal against the run of play midway through the second half allowed visitors Stalybridge Celtic to escape with a point – the attacker intercepted Mitch Duggan’s header back to goalkeeper Tony Thompson to slot into the empty goal.
Town had led at the break after a dominant first half thanks to a thunderous early strike from Jay Harris.
The midfielder crashed home a powerful effort from 25 yards, but the hosts could not force a winning goal.
"Until they scored, I thought we were really good and we were excellent in the first half," Town boss Mark Beesley said.
"If I’m being critical, we should have been two or three up at least.
"When you’re only one goal up, anything can happen and a mistake has given them a goal and something to hang onto. I think that was their only shot on target in the whole game, but we’ve got to be better.
"In the last 20 minutes at 1-1, we had to be more composed and show more ability.
"The goal shocked us and rocked us as it’s such a poor goal to give away. These things have dragged us back all season.
"It’s two points dropped because of what happened, but the performance again was really good for an hour. We’ve got to take the positives from it."
Sports reporter Matt Turner's verdict on the game below...
IF you want a perfect encapsulation of the more frustrating aspects of Warrington Town’s season, this did it perfectly.
Even before Jay Harris’ stunning opening goal, only one result seemed possible given the home side’s dominance of the game.
That being said, this has the feeling of them finishing neck-and-neck in a one-horse race.
The first half was a dominant a 45 minutes as Town have produced in a long period, regularly carving open the visiting defence.
Given their lack of out-and-out strikers – Connor Woods was recalled from his loan spell by Southport during the week, Josh Amis remains banned and Jordan Buckley only made the bench for his first game in three months – one wondered quite how they would make an impression at the top end of the field.
With Isaac Buckley-Ricketts buzzing around dangerously in the central role and Stefan Mols, Matty McDonald and Eddie Clarke operating effectively in the vicinity, they looked to have found the perfect solution.
Harris’ goal – a 25-yard rocket – was the least their play deserved and visiting keeper Greg Hall kept his side in the contest.
Such was their control of the game, the thought of there being any kind of fightback barely entered many minds around the ground – surely the least the scoreline would be was 1-0.
One loose backpass later, though, and Osebi Abadaki had the ball in the net and Stalybridge had a precious point to hold onto.
Once again, an individual lapse in concentration had seen the softest of goals conceded having previously looked completely untroubled defensively.
This is where the visitors deserve credit aplenty – they hung in there for most of the game and when their chance came, they took it.
Perhaps the most disappointing aspect was how much Abadaki’s goal seemed to rock the hosts. After it went in, they never really got control back.
Having been composed and incisive before, their build-up play became erratic and hurried. In truth, the visitors saw the game out in much more comfort than they should have.
There will be many more games of a similar nature in the second half of the campaign and when they come around, Town will have to be much more clinical at both ends of the field.
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