For the second time in three months, former Liverpool goalkeeper Dan Atherton was the last-minute hero for Warrington Town, scoring another late equaliser.
Atherton will admit himself that 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 No. 1.
Released by the Reds in 2020, the local-born goalkeeper is now in his second spell with Warrington, rejoining the non-league side after spells with The New Saints and Hyde United.
Now, he counts Andre Wisdom as a team-mate, with the ex-Liverpool defender signing a deal with the Yellows in September after a long spell away from football.
Both were on the scoresheet on Saturday, as Warrington fought back 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
Having gone behind to Liam Waldock’s penalty and Billy Fewster’s close-range effort either side of half-time, Wisdom grabbed 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 crowd into raptures.
It came after a similar feat from the goalkeeper back in October, when he rose highest to clinch a 1-1 draw with Farsley Celtic – that time in the fifth minute added on.
“I’ve got to give full credit to the players, they’ve battled back and they’ve got that never-say-die attitude that’s 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 deservingly nicked a point.
“What Dan does to get that goal is because he attacks the ball in his own box, so when he goes down to the other end he does the same thing.
“It was a great ball into him and he’s attacked it, got ahead of the defender and scored – I’m absolutely made up for him.”
While it may not have been the lesson he was expecting to take from regular training sessions alongside Alisson, there were clearly shades of the Brazilian’s late winner against West Brom in both goals.
Warrington are currently 13th in the 24-team National League North, with Atherton keeping four clean sheets in his 22 league appearances so far this season.
Along with his two goals, the Liverpool academy graduate also recorded two assists in a 2-1 win over Rushall Oympic in November.
That makes it two goals, two assists in his last 15 games – not a bad record for a goalkeeper!
