1874 Northwich vs Northwich Victoria

Recap

NORTHWICH KO NORTHWICH
By Garry Clarke

1874 NORTHWICH 2-0 NORTHWICH VICTORIA CHESHIRE SENIOR CUP FIRST ROUND

A brace of goals, one in each half, by Tom Bailey settled the first “all Northwich” game in favour of 1874 Northwich who defeated Northwich Victoria 2-0 in the first round of the Cheshire Senior Cup.

At times feisty encounter, with typical hard cup tie challenges, played generally in a good spirit on a heavy St Luke’s Barton Stadium pitch, 1874 dominated the first half with their visitors posing little threat.

Restricted to shooting from distance, Vics attempts were either blocked by defenders or were well wide of the target, when they launched crosses into the 1874 area they were comfortably dealt with by Greg Hall.

Jason Carey went close to heading 1874 in front in the 3rd minute but could only find the side netting. Carey later had a header saved by Vics goalkeeper Dylon Forth and also fired a shot across the face of goal as did Bailey.

As the game entered stoppage time at the end of the first half Lee Jones attempted to burst through the Vics rearguard but was brought down by Lanre Ololade. Bailey drilled the free kick from the edge of the area goal wards, the ball took a wicked deflection off the disintegrating defensive wall, wrong footing Forth and nestling in the corner of the net.

The second half followed a similar pattern to the first, although former 1874 player Dave Short registered a shot on target, his effort from outside the area was easily saved by Hall as was his effort in the first half.

In the opening minutes of the half 1874 forced several corners, the Jones brothers both fired shots narrowly wide of the target, while a dangerous Matt Russell cross was turned into Forth’s hands by a Vics defender from close range.

Bailey doubled 1874’s advantage in the 55th minute pouncing to score from close range. He reacted first to shot home from a tight angle after Forth had spilled a Sam Hare shot after the midfielder won the ball on the edge of the area.

A few moments later Bailey searching for his hat trick fired a long range shot wide of the target, while on the hour mark Lee Jones drew a fine save from Forth, tipping his shot from the edge of the area round the post for a corner.

With the Jones brothers, at the centre of a good all round team performance, controlling the game from the middle of the pitch, 1874 comfortably saw out the remainder of the game to claim their place in the second round.

1874: Hall, Connor, Russell, Mitchell, Thomas, Hare, M Jones, L Jones, Bailey (McGowan 86), Carey (Edwards 77), Hind (Jack Woolley 85), Subs not used M Woolley, Whitlock.

VICS: Forth, Olopade, Pritchard, Lyndon. Nolan, Clarke, Matthews, Doran, Johnson, Short, McDonald. Subs not used McCoy, Moore.

GOALS 1874 Bailey 45, 55

ATTENDANCE 358 REFEREE Joe Hull

Man of the match selected by match sponsor NIGEL LEATHER LEVEL ONE = Tom Bailey