Alsager Town vs 1874 Northwich

Recap

1874 put on a fine display under the floodlights at the Wood Park Stadium, goals from Mike Brandon, Matthew Beadle and Stuart Wellstead ensured that the Greens moved up the table in to third, leapfrogging Runcorn Town in the process.

With Ian opting to choose the same starting eleven that was victorious against Barnoldswick four days earlier, 1874 settled in to the game the quickest of the two sides. This showed almost instantly when the lively Jackson broke down the left wing, his cross was deep and Beadle attempted to muster a chance from nothing, only to be thwarted before he could get his effort away on goal.

Brandon began his personal battle with Cookson in the Alsager goal, after smartly bringing Jacksons cross out of the air he turned to get a shot on goal, it was met well by the stopper and the rebound fell to Wellstead who stung the keepers palms and it was then cleared by the full back Bourne.

1874 drew first blood on the 14th minute, Wellstead clipped the ball towards the edge of the 6 yard box after some great combination play, the cross found Mike Brandon unmarked from 8 yards who slammed the ball past Cookson to give 1874 a deserved lead.

It was Brandon again who tested Cookson, after being found by Kirk, he turned and unleashed a half volley from 20 yards out, it bounced up off the surface and was palmed around the post for a corner.

From the resulting corner, 1874 had an effort cleared off the line and Jacksons effort was saved well.

The second half began as the first ended, 1874 in full control and looking to add to their slender one goal lead.

They did this a minute after the restart, Ryan Jackson beat the fullback on the wing, then cut back and swung in a great ball in to the path of Matthew Beadle who as ever, clinically finished in to the bottom left hand corner and increased 1874’s lead.

At this point, Northwich smelt blood and only 3 minutes later it was 3-0 to 1874, a corner from Jackson was cleared only as far as Aaron Kirk who shot goalwards, luckily for Kirk and 1874 it found Mike Brandon waiting to pounce, an instinctive first time finish on the spin was enough to beat Cookson and let 1874 kill the game off.

Alsager now were shaken and a defensive error allowed Matthew Beadle to capitalise, a mix up between Chadwick and Cookson, give Beadle the chance to nip in between them and lift the ball over the on rushing goalkeeper to make it four.

It was 5-0 on the 67th minute, Stuart Wellstead beat the full back before putting the ball in to the Alsager box, however it was over everyone and landed in the bottom corner of Cookson’s net for the fifth.

Chance after chance for 1874 came but the keeper was in fine form to deny Northwich a sixth goal.

FULL TIME: Alsager 0-5 1874.

A great all round performance in which all the lads played extremely well, impressive with and without the ball. A sign of the squad beginning to tick now we are near enough full strength.

On to a big game on Saturday as we host our landlords Winsford United in the MEN United Cup Round 2, 3pm Kick Off at the Barton Stadium in which we will be collecting for the Mid Cheshire Foodbank, any support you can offer would be fantastic, its for a very worthy cause.

1874 TEAM: Conkie, Connor, Thomas, Woolley (C), James, Kirk, Ward, Brandon, Jackson, Wellstead, Beadle.

1874 SUBS: Cawley for Wellstead on 68 mins. McNichol for Ward on 72 mins. Haughton for James on 75 mins.

UNUSED: Mason and Lomas

ATT: 223