FC United lose at Warrington Town on opening day
Former FC United striker Jordan Buckley came back to haunt the Reds again as he scored both the goals in a 2-0 opening day defeat at Warrington Town in front of 1,105 supporters.
Neil Reynolds’ side dominated possession (72%-28%) throughout the afternoon at Cantilever Park but they lacked the cutting edge to do the most important thing – score. The Yellows showed United how it was done with two clinical finishes in the 44th and 83rd minutes.
United’s two best chances of the match fell to right-back Aaron Morris, both in the second half. He blazed a fairly difficult snapshot over the bar from four yards out with the goal at his mercy and he agonisingly saw goalkeeper Dan Atherton tip a good header onto the bar.
The Reds started brightly, hoping to get their first opening day victory for nine years. They controlled the match for lengthy spells. However, despite looking assured on the ball, in the first half they could only muster two tame efforts on target from Ali Waddecar and Cedric Main.
United’s best chance of the opening 45 minutes fell to Regan Linney midway through the half when Morris curled a low cross from the right wing right onto the penalty spot. Unfortunately, Linney completely miscued his effort and his shot ended up closer to the corner flag than the goal.
Down at the other end, the warning signs were coming. Moments before Linney’s effort, Dan Lavercombe had to be alert to save a good effort from Buckley with his feet.
Buckley scored three goals in 18 appearances for FC United in the abandoned 2019-2020 season (or did he with all records expunged?!). He’s now scored four times in three appearances for Warrington against the Reds.
Five minutes before halftime, Sean Miller was slipped through into the box and Lavercombe did brilliantly to rush out, dive at the winger’s feet and cleanly snatch the ball off his toes.
But he could do nothing four minutes later. United were caught napping at the back by a run down the right from James Baillie. His ball into the box sat up nicely for Buckley and he finished with aplomb from eight yards out to make it 1-0 just moments before the interval.
United were better and more threatening in the second half, but for all their endeavour they rarely tested Atherton properly. The goalkeeper, who was released by Liverpool Under-23s last season, looked comfortable all afternoon and was arguably Warrington’s best player. Although Buckley may disagree!
On 55 minutes Charlie Ennis prodded a tame effort at Atherton after Waddecar had set him up nicely. Ten minutes later, captain Michael Potts led by example and made the goalkeeper break into a sweat for the first time in the match.
Potts created some space for himself on the edge of the box and drove in a piledriver, which Atherton could only parry to the feet of Morris. The right-back lofted his left-footed effort over the bar. It was a chance United needed to convert.
With just over 20 minutes to go, left-back Adam Dodd curled a free-kick from the edge of the box over the bar and you started to get the sense that it might not be United’s day. However, the Reds kept on plugging away and, moments later, lively substitute Finlay Sinclair-Smith created the best chance of the match when he crossed to the near post for Morris, but his header was tipped onto the crossbar. Fine margins.
United were in the ascendancy and the travelling Red Army started to believe that perhaps they would find that priceless equaliser. However, it was an accomplished performance from Warrington. They soaked up the pressure and hit United with a classic sucker-punch with seven minutes to go.
A defence splitting pass from the right left Lavercombe exposed at the back and although he did well to initially to thwart Buckley, the striker rounded him at the second attempt and slotted the ball into the back of the net to make it 2-0.
The Reds nearly grabbed a late goal when substitute Matthew Rain crossed from the right to the back post. Sinclair-Smith glanced a header wide and protested afterwards that he was being held by the defender. The referee was uninterested.
So, another disappointing opening day defeat for the Reds, but you wouldn’t have realised it from the reaction in the stands. The FC United faithful stayed for five minutes after the fulltime whistle to serenade the efforts of their red-shirted heroes and celebrate 16 years of owning our own football club. This is how it feels to be FC. We go again on Tuesday night at home to Morpeth Town.
Website man of the match – Aaron Morris. Morris gets the award this week for being in the right place at the right time to have United’s best two chances of the match and also for creating United’s best chance of the first half.
Report by Matthew Haley
FC United lose at Warrington Town on opening day
Former FC United striker Jordan Buckley came back to haunt the Reds again as he scored both the goals in a 2-0 opening day defeat at Warrington Town in front of 1,105 supporters.
Neil Reynolds’ side dominated possession (72%-28%) throughout the afternoon at Cantilever Park but they lacked the cutting edge to do the most important thing – score. The Yellows showed United how it was done with two clinical finishes in the 44th and 83rd minutes.
United’s two best chances of the match fell to right-back Aaron Morris, both in the second half. He blazed a fairly difficult snapshot over the bar from four yards out with the goal at his mercy and he agonisingly saw goalkeeper Dan Atherton tip a good header onto the bar.
The Reds started brightly, hoping to get their first opening day victory for nine years. They controlled the match for lengthy spells. However, despite looking assured on the ball, in the first half they could only muster two tame efforts on target from Ali Waddecar and Cedric Main.
United’s best chance of the opening 45 minutes fell to Regan Linney midway through the half when Morris curled a low cross from the right wing right onto the penalty spot. Unfortunately, Linney completely miscued his effort and his shot ended up closer to the corner flag than the goal.
Down at the other end, the warning signs were coming. Moments before Linney’s effort, Dan Lavercombe had to be alert to save a good effort from Buckley with his feet.
Buckley scored three goals in 18 appearances for FC United in the abandoned 2019-2020 season (or did he with all records expunged?!). He’s now scored four times in three appearances for Warrington against the Reds.
Five minutes before halftime, Sean Miller was slipped through into the box and Lavercombe did brilliantly to rush out, dive at the winger’s feet and cleanly snatch the ball off his toes.
But he could do nothing four minutes later. United were caught napping at the back by a run down the right from James Baillie. His ball into the box sat up nicely for Buckley and he finished with aplomb from eight yards out to make it 1-0 just moments before the interval.
United were better and more threatening in the second half, but for all their endeavour they rarely tested Atherton properly. The goalkeeper, who was released by Liverpool Under-23s last season, looked comfortable all afternoon and was arguably Warrington’s best player. Although Buckley may disagree!
On 55 minutes Charlie Ennis prodded a tame effort at Atherton after Waddecar had set him up nicely. Ten minutes later, captain Michael Potts led by example and made the goalkeeper break into a sweat for the first time in the match.
Potts created some space for himself on the edge of the box and drove in a piledriver, which Atherton could only parry to the feet of Morris. The right-back lofted his left-footed effort over the bar. It was a chance United needed to convert.
With just over 20 minutes to go, left-back Adam Dodd curled a free-kick from the edge of the box over the bar and you started to get the sense that it might not be United’s day. However, the Reds kept on plugging away and, moments later, lively substitute Finlay Sinclair-Smith created the best chance of the match when he crossed to the near post for Morris, but his header was tipped onto the crossbar. Fine margins.
United were in the ascendancy and the travelling Red Army started to believe that perhaps they would find that priceless equaliser. However, it was an accomplished performance from Warrington. They soaked up the pressure and hit United with a classic sucker-punch with seven minutes to go.
A defence splitting pass from the right left Lavercombe exposed at the back and although he did well to initially to thwart Buckley, the striker rounded him at the second attempt and slotted the ball into the back of the net to make it 2-0.
The Reds nearly grabbed a late goal when substitute Matthew Rain crossed from the right to the back post. Sinclair-Smith glanced a header wide and protested afterwards that he was being held by the defender. The referee was uninterested.
So, another disappointing opening day defeat for the Reds, but you wouldn’t have realised it from the reaction in the stands. The FC United faithful stayed for five minutes after the fulltime whistle to serenade the efforts of their red-shirted heroes and celebrate 16 years of owning our own football club. This is how it feels to be FC. We go again on Tuesday night at home to Morpeth Town.
Website man of the match – Aaron Morris. Morris gets the award this week for being in the right place at the right time to have United’s best two chances of the match and also for creating United’s best chance of the first half.
Report by Matthew Haley
