1874 Northwich vs Shelley

Recap

1874 THROUGH TO MACRON CUP FINAL

BY GARRY CLARKE

1874 NORTHWICH 6-1 SHELLEY MACRON CUP SEMI FINAL 5TH SEPTEMBER 2020

1874 Northwich eventually secured their passage into the Macron Cup Final, but despite the scoring the holders made hard work of their task, especially in the first half.

1874 got off to a flying start at Townfield against their First Division South guests. Taylor Kennerley skirted round the back of the Shelley defence to slide the ball across the face of goal for Harry Cain to tap in from close range at the far post with six minutes on the clock.

The lead was short lived as just four minutes later a ball played into the 1874 penalty area split open the green and blacks defence allowing Sam Awty to steer the ball past Tony Aghayere to level the scores.

The complexion of the game was changed just after the half hour mark when referee Jason McAuley controversially sent off Shelley goalkeeper Paul Day. Racing on to a long ball played over the top of the Shelley backline Scott McGowan attempted to lift the ball over the advancing Day, who despite having his arms raised appeared to head the ball clear. After consulting one of his assistants McAuley brandished a red card and Day was forced to leave the pitch protesting his innocence.

Substitute Marc Townsend donned the number one shirt, his first act as net minder was to smoother Jake Parker’s free kick. However, the stand in goalkeeper was unable to prevent Taylor Kennerley from restoring 1874’s lead two minutes before half time with a powerful ly hit shot.

Five minutes earlier 1874 had survived a scare when Awty intercepted a miss placed pass to chip over Aghayere, but with the ball inches away from crossing the goal line James Ormrod slid to his sides rescore scooping the ball clear.

Ten minutes into the second half McGowan was sent to the sin bin for ten minutes for disputing a decision by the referee.

Just after the hour mark Parker had the ball in the net after Townsend had fumbled a Kennerley shot, Parker was ruled to have been offside and the goal was disallowed. He did get on the score sheet in the 65th minute, cutting inside from the right he delivered an angled drive which flew in the top far corner of the net.

Refreshed after his spell on the side, McGowan returned to the fray and opened his account for the season, bringing down a Cain cross, in one movement he turned and steered the ball past Townsend.

Two minutes from time Shelley struggled to clear a corner, the ball fell to captain Matt Woolley who unleashed a thunderous drive which flew into the net from 25 yards. As the game entered stoppage time McGowan completed the scoring sending the keeper the wrong way from the penalty spot after Ryan Jackson had been brought down.

1874 Northwich will travel to the Viridor Community Stadium to face Premier Division rivals Runcorn Town in the all Cheshire final on Saturday 26th September.

1874 – Aghayere, Hind, Russell (J Woolley), Ormrod (Weir), Jones, Parker, Cain (R Jackson), M Woolley, McGowan, Hare, Kennerley. Subs not used Irlam, Duckworth.

SHELLEY – Day, Bootland, Lockwood (Smith), Leech, Daffern, Hawke, Alderton (Townsend), Barnes, Awty, Howe, Ghee, sub not used Thomas.

GOALS 1874 – McGowan 72, 90 pen Cain 6, Parker 65, M Woolley88.

Shelley – Awty 10

ATTENDANCE 279 REFEREE J McAuley