Warrington Town 2-3 Leigh Genesis

Genesis see off Town in local thriller.

Leigh Genesis maintained their 100% start to the pre-season campaign with victory at UniBond League Division One North side Warrington Town, but it wasn’t all plain-sailing as the visitors were given a stern test by their gallant Cantilever Park hosts.

With Jordan Stepian still awaiting his debut because of a hamstring injury and Richard Chetcuti starting on the substitute's bench, Darren Mansaram, recovered from a minor knock of his own that he received in Tuesday's 5-0 win at Atherton Collieries, was partnered in attack by recent signing Karl O'Donnell.

After a dazzling display at Alder House on Tuesday, Genesis started brightly at Cantilever Park, as ever backed by a large and vociferous away following.

Karl O'Donnell, scorer of Leigh’s fifth goal on Tuesday evening and signed on a permanent deal on Friday, was making a nuisance of himself in front of goal and was unlucky not to be awarded a penalty inside the first ten minutes when he appeared to be bundled over inside the area.

With Chris Holland once again proving to be a model professional in the centre of the park with a polished performance, the Genesis were again showing their desire to play a good brand of attacking football, carving up the Warrington defense almost at will, finding themselves denied only by the offside flag on a number of occasions as both O'Donnell and Darren Mansaram found themselves frustrated by Town's offside trap.

It was Tom Field, however, that finally broke the deadlock on twenty four minutes, cutting inside a challenge on the edge of the area before arrowing a shot past former Leigh goalkeeper Richard Mottram and in to the bottom corner of the net.

Highly-rated Mansaram was again impressive in the Genesis attack, going close when doing superbly well to cut inside from the right channel and fire a low left-footed shot that was well parried by Mottram.

With thirty three minutes on the clock, Leigh finally doubled their lead with Mansaram getting the goal that his hard work and determination certainly deserved, receiving the ball on the edge of the area after some patient passing throughout the Leigh side, the former Bohemians striker sending a shot rocketing in to the net before Mottram barely had a chance to react.

That lead was halved shortly before the break when, after the defensive wall had deflected away a free kick from the edge of the area, Leigh goalkeeper Tim Dittmer was beaten by the sharp reactions and anticipation of a Warrington man looking for the rebound.

With half-time seeing the introduction of Jerome Watt, Bradley Maylett, Richard Chetcuti, Paul Booth and young goalkeeper Dean Porter from the substitutes bench, Steve Bleasdale's side went about clinching their second successive victory.
Just minutes in to the second half and that goal appeared to be achieved when impressive Genesis full back Alex Mortimer made a break down the left flank before delivering an inch-perfect cross on to the head of Mansaram, who made no mistake in restoring Leigh's two goal advantage.

Richard Chetcuti almost scored a fourth Genesis goal, taking advantage of a lack of pressure on the edge of the area to fire in a terrific shot, only for it to hammer against the post.

Shortly after the hour mark and Warrington had again pulled within a goal of their visitors when a free kick from the right hand side of the penalty area was glanced past Porter.

With captain Jerome Fitzgerald the only Genesis player to complete ninety minutes, the second half performance was predictably disjointed, although that didn't stop substitute Andy Heald coming close to a goal, doing superbly to avoid three challenges before seeing his low shot well saved by Mottram.

Although the concession of two goals is sure to be a disappointment for Leigh Genesis manager Steve Bleasdale, he can be happy that his side again came out on top ahead of a testing week that sees three further friendlies in quick succession, with a Tuesday night trip to Formby (7:30pm) being followed by a Thursday night game at AFC Fylde (7:30pm) and finally a game against Woodley Sports Hilton Park next Saturday (3pm kick off).