1874 Northwich vs Barnoldswick Town

Recap

BAILEY’S BRACE BURIES BARLICK
BY GARRY CLARKE

1874 Northwich remain hot on the heels of the league leaders having beaten Barnoldswick Town 2-0 at St Luke’s Barton Stadium to leave themselves just two points behind Bootle and Atherton Collieries.

In a good all round team performance, with each player contributing to the victory, it was once again Tom Bailey who proved to be 1874’s match winner scoring twice to take his tally for the season to 27.

1874 enjoyed the better of a first half which was generally an open evenly contested affair between two teams committed to attack, although guarded by two defences who kept their opponents at bay neither keep was troubled too much, both mainly having to field crosses played into their area, of the two no.1s Greg Hall was the more comfortable.

Barnoldswick keeper Jordan Gidley caused his colleagues an early scare dropping a cross at the feet of Sam Hare whose shot was deflected wide. Gidley could only watch as Jason Carey rattled the Barlick cross bar in the 40th minute with a fierce drive from 35 yards.

The breakthrough arrived a minute before half time when Bailey drilled a free kick through the defensive wall and past Gidley, after Joe Woolley had been upended on the edge of the area as he tried to force his way through a Barlick defence scrambling to clear the ball.

Tom Bailey is congratulated on his goal by Sam Hare and Lee Jones.

1874 dominated the second half without creating too many clear cut goal scoring opportunities, while the visitor’s only real attack was thwarted by a good tackle on Mark Threlfall by Ryan Mitchell.

In the opening minutes of the second half Barlick failed to clear a Paul Connor cross allowing the ball to fall to Lee Jones on the edge of the area, captaining 1874 on his 50th appearance for the club Jones shot wide on the target.

Liam Blades came to his side’s rescue in the 58th minute hooking a Carey cross out of the path of Sam Hind, while a minute later Hare swung in a corner which Carey met at the near post and back heeled inches wide.

Bailey doubled 1874’s advantage in the 72nd minute converting from the penalty spot. The 1874 marksman, having been tripped as Barlick struggled to clear their lines, slotted his spot kick into the bottom corner just out of Gidley’s reach.

In the 90th minute Tyler Edwards twinkled toed himself through the Barlick defence before pulling the ball back to Joel Douglas, the 1874 debutant saw his shot blocked by a Barnoldswick defender.

1874; Hall, Connor, Russell, Mitchell, Farnworth, Hare, J Woolley (Edwards 75), L Jones, Bailey (Douglas 86), Carey (McGowan 86), Hind. Subs not used Waldron, M Woolley.
BARNOLDSWICK; Gidley, Blades, McEneaney, Cavanagh (Grime 70), Hodkinson, Airey, Crorken, Hill (Gorman 85), Threfall, Thompson, Beckwith (Dale 85). Subs not used Hargreaves, Gohoreanu.

GOALS; 1874 Bailey 44, 72p

ATTENDANCE 211 REFEREE Barry Lamb

Man of the mach selected by match sponsors FRIENDS OF CARL TURNER = Tom Bailey