For the second time in three months, former Liverpool goalkeeper Dan Atherton was the last-minute hero for Warrington Town, scoring another late equalizing goal.
Atherton will admit there is little he can eclipse Alisson with on the pitch, but the 24-year-old can now take the goalscoring mantle from Liverpool’s number one.
Released by the Reds in 2020, the locally-born goalkeeper is now in his second spell with Warrington, rejoining the non-league side after spells with The New Saints and Hyde United.
He now has Andre Wisdom as a teammate, with the former Liverpool defender signing a contract with the Yellows in September after a long period away from football.
Both were on the scoresheet on Saturday as Warrington recovered from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 with Alfreton Town.
A second goal of the season for our prolific man between the posts, @dannyatherton_?
? Platinum Civil Engineering pic.twitter.com/YKOwvF7Hln
– Warrington Town FC (@theYellows) January 14, 2024
After trailing to Liam Waldock’s penalty and Billy Fewster’s close-range shot either side of half-time, Wisdom scored the first of the comeback with a brilliant solo strike in the 89th minute.
Then, incredibly, Atherton headed home in the seventh minute of stoppage time to secure a point and send the 1,095 spectators into raptures.
It came after a similar feat from the goalkeeper in October, when he went top to earn a 1-1 draw with Farsley Celtic, that time in the fifth added minute.
“I have to give full credit to the players, they have fought and have that never-say-die attitude that has been synonymous with us this year and over the last few years,” manager Mark Beesley told Warrington’s. official website.
“We pushed and pushed and deservedly got a point.
“What Dan does to get that goal is because he attacks the ball in his own area, so when he goes down to the other end he does the same thing.
“It was a great ball that came in and he attacked it, got past the defender and scored. I’m absolutely sorry for him.”
While it may not have been the lesson he was hoping to learn from regular training sessions alongside Alisson, there were clearly shades of the Brazilian’s late goal against West Brom in both goals.
Warrington currently sit 13th in the 24-team National League North, and Atherton have kept four clean sheets in their 22 league appearances so far this season.
As well as his two goals, the Liverpool academy graduate also recorded two assists in the 2-1 win over Rushall Oympic in November.
That makes two goals and two assists in his last 15 games – not a bad record for a goalkeeper!
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