Richie Bennett and Mackenzie Maltby goals steer Boro to 2-0 win at strugglers Warrington Town
Unchanged from the home win against Leamington, Boro kept a second successive league clean sheet for the first time this season, with a comfortable 2-0 success at struggling Warrington Town, who are now nine points adrift of safety after an 11th league match without a win.
It was just the third time this season Boro have achieved back to back wins in the league, writes Steve Adamson.
The hosts had the first attack, a Matty McDonald corner fell at the feet of Rotherham United loanee Hamish Douglas who fired wide.
Boro then took control, Stephen Walker teed up for Luca Colville, whose shot was blocked by Matt Makinson, Alex Purver laid off to Walker, but Douglas blocked his strike, and the outstanding Colville passed out to Harry Green on the right, and his fierce drive forced a good reflex save from keeper Dan Atherton.
Green then blazed two yards wide, before the deadlock was broken when Colville surged forward and squared to Green, whose shot deflected off a defender towards Richie Bennett, who poked the ball past Atherton.
Sam Reed passed forward to Colville, whose ball across the area was sliced over by Green, then for the hosts, a McDonald ball towards Joe Rodwell-Grant was cut out by Mackenzie Maltby, Aaron James scuffed a shot into the arms of Ryan Whitley, and Jack Waldron tackled Rodwell-Grant as he burst forward.
Boro were soon back on top, a Waldron cross was punched off the head of Bennett by Atherton, a Green shot was deflected wide by Mo Doro, and Colville headed wide from a Waldron cross.
Boro almost doubled their lead two minutes into the second half, when a Purver corner was palmed out by keeper Atherton towards Will Thornton, who crashed his header against the bar.
Colville fed Dom Tear, who raced forward but was halted by a terrific Ollie Southern tackle, then keeper Atherton kicked clear when Walker chased a through-ball from Green.
Bennett, who had a superb game latched onto a wayward back-pass beat a defender and fired into the side-netting, but Warrington then created two excellent chances in quick succession.
Jay Harris sent a free-kick forward, Aaron James headed goalwards, but Colville pulled off an acrobatic goal-line clearance, then a McDonald ball into the goalmouth found Josh Amis, who sidefooted from close range, but Whitley flung himself to the ground to claw the ball to safety.
Boro then went up the other end and doubled their lead, when a right-wing corner from Colville was powerfully headed home by Maltby.
Green drove a free-kick into the wall, Colville ended a mazy dribble with a shot that was blocked by 43-year-old veteran defender Peter Clarke, and an Alex Wiles run was stopped by Bohan Dixon’s strong tackle.
Warrington attacked late on, Thornton kicked clear when Amis burst into the box, Andy White sent a 30-yarder over the bar, and Thornton and Maltby both won headers to clear dangerous crosses.
WARRINGTON - Atherton, Douglas, Southern, Clarke, Harris (Dixon 71), Williams (White 46), McDonald (O’Neill 77), Rodwell-Grant, Doro (D. Green 71), Makinson (Amis 46), James.
BORO - Whitley, Waldron, Reed (Duckworth 80), Maltby, Thornton (c), Purver, H. Green (Marshall 84), Tear, Bennett (Mulhern 80), Walker (Wiles 65), Colville, unused sub - Glynn.
REFEREE - Harry Warner.
BORO GOALS - Richie Bennett 25, Mackenzie Maltby 64.
GOAL ATTEMPTS - WARRINGTON 6 (3 on target) BORO 14 (4 on target).
CORNERS - WARRINGTON 4 BORO 7.
OFFSIDES - WARRINGTON 2 BORO 4.
YELLOW CARDS - Ollie Southern (Warrington), Sam Reed (Boro).
BORO MAN OF MATCH - Luca Colville.
ATTENDANCE - 817 (98 away).