PAUL Carden says last night's victory at Whitby Town "wasn't the prettiest" but that his Warrington Town side "would take it all day long."

An 80th-minute winner from substitute Jack Mackreth allowed Yellows to rack up their seventh consecutive league win and extend their run without conceding a league goal to just under 15 hours.

Report: Whitby 0 Yellows 1

Having been deposed as league leaders due to being in FA Cup action on Saturday, Town's win means they are second in the Evo-Stik Premier Division - one point behind new leaders Scarborough Athletic having played two games fewer.

Carden says the pitch at the Turnbull Ground was unhelpful but was happy with how the changes he made to his team paid off.

"It wasn’t the prettiest, but we’ll take it all day long," he told the Guardian.

"I don’t think you’re going to get too many pretty games on a Tuesday night at Whitby, just because of where it is and that most teams have a long journey to them.

"At times, both teams played a little bit and they huffed and puffed a little bit.

"The pitch was poor and quite bobbly, which didn’t help either team.

"What we did last night was make a couple of changes and give lads a start who haven’t played much of late.

"It’s important to do that because when you go to places that are a bit tricky, the lads that are chomping at the bit to get in are going to give you everything.

"It’s not that there’s any players in the squad that won’t do that, but there was that little bit of extra motivation for them to impress and try to stay in the team."

Forward Dominic Reid, signed from Marine last week, made his Yellows debut from the start, while the likes of Adam Hughes and Josh Amis also came into the side last night.

And while it was a substitute that eventually scored the winner, Carden was pleased with the performances of the trio.

"I felt Dom Reid did very well coming in, Hughesy played a part in setting up the goal and keeping another clean sheet and Josh Amis was a real handful," he said.

"He was a real presence and a focal point for us to play off.

"It’s important to keep these players motivated because they are good enough to play for the best teams at this level.

"We need to keep them ready, and above all keep the competition high.

"We can play different players in different positions and be just as strong, so it’s a good position to be in as a manager."

Josh Amis' performance at Whitby earned praised from his Yellows manager Paul Carden. Picture by John Hopkins

The game came on the back of Town being paired with National League side FC Halifax Town in the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup, with the tie being played at Cantilever Park on Saturday, October 20.

Yellows paired with Shaymen in FA Cup

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Carden says they will back themselves to beat the Shaymen, but that their focus is fully on the two Evo-Stik Premier Division before then – also at home against Matlock Town on Saturday and Stafford Rangers on Tuesday.

"We fancy playing anyone at this stage of the competition," he said.

"We’ve been playing well and we have lads capable of playing at National League level.

"There’s extra motivation there for them to prove it and for other lads to prove they can compete with players at that level.

"With the run of form we are in, we back ourselves.

"First things’ first though, we have two massive league games before then and that's where our focus is."