Marine 1-2 Warrington Town: Buckley-Ricketts winner sinks Mariners as Yellows book playoff ticket

Stephen Killen

April 10, 2023

7:47 pm

Marine’s playoff hopes were slashed after a stoppage-time winner for Warrington Town extended their formidable run to 22 games unbeaten.

Jordan Buckley opened the scoring for the Yellows early in the second-half after stabbing home from close range before the former Southport attacker, Isaac Buckley-Ricketts snatched the points for Mark Beesley’s side in added time.

By the time of the visitors’ opener they had already secured playoffs after Hyde United failed to beat Stalybridge Celtic.

Breaking into the top-five isn’t mathematically over for Marine but they face a tall order with Radcliffe set to play Warrington Rylands on Tuesday (April 11) after their postponement on Monday afternoon.

The Mariners aren’t completely out of contention but would need to beat sixth-placed Hyde United and Matlock Town in seventh in their final two games to be in with a shout. They, too, would need The Boro to slip up.

At the break, the visitors would’ve felt that they should’ve had a cushion but Bohan Dixon was twice denied by Bayleigh Passant.

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His curling effort was superbly pushed away as he looked for the top right corner. The midfielder would’ve been disappointed with his headed effort, soon after, as he lost his man only to nod straight at the Mariners goalkeeper from six yards.

Buckley could’ve easily doubled his tally for the afternoon in the second half but he failed to convert his volley.

The Mariners hit back soon after as Joe Hardy slide the ball beyond Tony Thompson after pouncing on a through ball.

Sol Solomon went close to adding to his impressive goal collection for the campaign but his curling free-kick nestled on the roof of the net.

The momentum soon swung back in favour of the visitors. Josh Amis came agonisingly close but he couldn’t convert in a one-on-one with the Marine goalkeeper.

Dixon and Andy White both forced the hosts shot-stopper into action but the hosts rearguard was broken in stoppage time.

Buckley-Ricketts, who introduced a fellow ex-Southport attacker in Connor Woods, was in the right place at the right time to fire home from Dixon’s cutback.