Barnoldswick Town vs 1874 Northwich

Recap

BARNOLDSWICK TOWN 2-3 1874 NORTHWICH MEN UNITED CUP 2ND ROUND 25TH OCTOBER 2014

1874 Northwich made hard work of booking their place in the Men United Cup third round. 3-0 up within twenty minutes, 1874 overcame Barnoldswick Town clinging on to a one goal lead in a nervy finale to a frustrating game.

Playing up the slope at the Silentnight Beds Stadium, 1874 dominated the first half with the home side, through Joel Melia, having just one attempt at goal which was comfortably saved by Matt Conkie.

1874 opened the scoring in the 3rd minute when Ryan Mitchell rose highest at the far post to head home a corner delivered by the returning Daley Woods.

Lee Duckworth struck a post with a free kick in the 13th minute, he also hit a later free kick against the cross bar. In between his two strikes against the woodwork, 1874’s captain opened his goal scoring account with another sweetly struck free kick.

Matty Ward picked up the ball on the edge of his own area as 1874 cleared a corner, holding off several challenges he carried the ball to the edge of the Barnoldswick area where he was brought down. Duckworth stepped forward to curl the 18th minute free kick into the top corner.

Two minutes later Duckworth swung in a corner from the right which Woods head past Barnoldswick goal keeper Chris Taylor from close range. Picking the ball out of the net was Taylor’s last involvement in the game as he was replaced by forward Mark Threlfall having picked up a hand injury.

While Barnoldswick regrouped and reorganised, 1874 continued to dominate he first half. Matt Beadle flashed a diving header across the goal, Micthell had a shot blacked, Woods shot wide from 20 yards and Ward shot over the bar from 30 yards.

With a home third round tie against Colne on offer to the victors, a re-shuffled Barnoldswick started to gain the upper hand against an increasingly sloppy 1874, who despite several efforts at goal failed to force the stand in goalkeeper to make a save, Beadle, Duckworth and Stuart Wellstead shooting wide of the target.

Melia and Matt Cavangh both went close in the opening minutes of the second half as the home side attacked the Sewer End where the majority of their supporters congregated and it came as no surprise when they pulled a goal back in the 76th minute. 1874’s backline failed to adequately deal with a long ball allowing Melia to nip in and take the ball off Conkie, as he tried to clear and roll the ball into the empty net. Four minutes later Cavanagh reduced the deficit further scoring from a corner which 1874 failed to clear setting up a nervous last ten minutes as 1874 continued to surrender possession too easily with numerous miss-placed passes.

Four minutes into time added on, Melia had a shot saved by Conkie. Scrambled clear for a throw in the ball was returned into the danger area, only half cleared the ball fell to Martin Broderick who to the relief of the 1874 contingent pulled his shot wide as the referee blew the final whistle.

BARNOLDSWICK TOWN – Taylor (Simpson 25mins), Walker, Euerton, Scott (Broderick 71mins), Ridehalgh, Cavanagh, Melia, Byrom, Threlfall, Lee (Cracken HT). Subs not used Pollard, McEneaney.

1874 – Conkie, Connor, Woolley, McGrath, Mitchell, Chappell, Woods (Wellstead 69mins), Gill (Stewart 60mins), Beadle, Ward, Duckworth. Subs not used Bowyer, Fossdyke,

GOALS Barnoldswick – Melia 76, Cavanagh 80. 1874 – Mitchell 3, Duckworth 18, Woods 20.

REFEREE – James Price.