1874 Northwich vs Winsford United

Recap

ALL SQUARE AT ST LUKE’S – By Garry Clarke

1874 NORTHWICH 1-1 WINSFORD UNITED
HSL PREMIER LEAGUE 26TH DECEMBER 2018

The Boxing Day derby between 1874 Northwich and Winsford United at St Luke’s Barton Stadium ended all square, with both teams happy with a point but both also thinking they should have won.

The proverbial game of two halves, 1874 dominated the first and Winsford held the upper hand in the second of an at times feisty encounter between two determined sides.

After a fiery opening few minutes 1874 took the lead in the 9th minute when Winsford goalkeeper Mike Langley took far too long in attempting to clear allowing Callum Gardner to block his clearance. Despite Langley’s attempt to win the ball back, Gardner crossed the ball where it was met at the far post by Taylor Kennerley who scored from close range.

Two minutes later with Winsford struggling to clear their lines following a Paul Connor cross into their area Kennerley shot over the bar, while moments later Langley blocked a Scott McGowan shot, the ball rebounded off the keeper’s head to Gardner whose fiercely struck shot cannoned off an upright.

Former 1874 player Dave Short was causing his old team a few problems. He was denied a shooting opportunity by a last-ditch Mark Jones tackle and drew a fine save from James Coates with a free kick from outside the area.

Short had another shot blocked by desperate defenders, the clearance set McGowan clear, racing away from Winsford chasers he was denied by a good save from Langley.

1874 ended the first half on top, Langley did well to keep out a shot from Gardner in the closing minutes, while last season’s Winsford player of the year opened the second half by driving a shot into the side netting from a corner.

On the hour Mark Connor just cleared the Winsford bar from outside the area. A minute later an 1874 clearance was charged down, the ball fell to Short who unchallenged from the edge of the area blasted the ball wide of the target.

The game was held up for several minutes when 1874 full back Matt Russell was stretchered from the field having sustained a serious looking injury as he cleared the ball upfield. As 1874 were still reorganising at the back, following Russell’s departure, Winsford played a free kick into 1874’s area. 1874 failed to deal adequately with the free kick which eventually fell to Joe Duckworth, the Winsford substitute scored from close range to level the game.

1874 played out the last ten minutes with ten men after Jack Pritchard was red carded after tangling with Duckworth.

1874 – Coates, Connor, Russell (Koral 67), Pritchard, Jones, Weir, Gardner, Woolley, McGowan (Riley 88), Hare (Irlam 73), Kennerley. Subs not used Ormrod, Waite-Jackson.

WINSFORD – Langley, Phillips, Clarke (Collinson 87), Delaney, Jenyons (Boyle HT), Foster, Jones. Hopper, Short, Howell (J Duckworth 61), Blackwell. sub not used L Duckworth.

GOALS – 1874 Kennerley 9 Winsford J Duckworth 70

ATTENDANCE 452 REFEREE D Issawi

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1874 Northwich Paul Connor – Winsford United Dave Short