1874 Northwich vs Squires Gate

Recap

1874 NORTHWICH 1-1 SQUIRES GATE NWCFL PREMIER 21ST MARCH 2015

A late equaliser by substitute Chris Lunn rescued a point for 1874 Northwich, at the end of their NWCFL Premier Division game against Squires Gate at a sunny Barton stadium.

An open, and at times scrappy, game saw play switch from end to end although neither side created many scoring opportunities in a disjointed first half. 1874 posed little threat to the Squires Gate goal in a disappointing first half, their best chance falling to Sakeel Abdullah who fired a long range shot over the bar.

Squires Gate, 6th in the Premier Division table, scored in the 25th minute. Matt Conkie was unable, under challenge from a Gate player, to take a long throw propelled towards the 1874 goal. The ball dropped in front of Alex Murphy who prodded it into the empty net.

The second half saw a well organised Squires Gate team content to sit back and soak up any pressure exerted by 1874 and try to catch their hosts on the break. 1874 upped their game after the break in search of an equaliser, despite crating several goal scoring opportunities on too many occasions the final ball went astray.

In the opening minutes of the second half Ryan Stewart fired in a shot which flew over the bar, while Matt Beadle was denied a shooting opportunity by a last ditch tackle by Gate defender Josh Westwood. As the half progressed Mike Brandon played Beadle in the behind the Gate defence but 1874’s top scorer shot inches over the bar as did Jordan Johnson. Elliot Ledwards fired a shot just wide of the target before Brandon went close with a header.

Squires Gate looked dangerous on the counter attack taking advantage of the extra space at the back as 1874 committed players to the attack. Man of the match Adam Bayley came to 1874’s rescue in the 70th minute with a perfectly timed tackle in the penalty area to disposes Murphy as he was about to shoot with the goal at his mercy. As the game entered its final minutes the visitors engineered a glorious opportunity to return to the seaside with all three points. Clearing their lines they broke swiftly downfield, neat passing between their forwards set up Mark Buchan, who with the goal open struck his shot against the post.

1874 had a penalty appeal turned down during a goalmouth scramble the referee and his assistant failed to spot a Gate defender using his hands to smuggle the ball into the welcoming arms of Gate goalkeeper Ben Fletcher.

With just two minutes of normal time remaining Matt Woolley floated a free kick into the Gate area, Ryan Mitchell rose highest to head the ball into the path of Lunn, who gleefully smashed the ball home from close range to salvage a point.

1874 – Conkie, Connor, Duckworth (Pouncey 75mins), Bayley, Mitchell, Stewart (Johnson 72mins), Woolley, Abdullah (Lunn 67mins), Brandon, Beadle, Ledwards. Subs not used Bowyer, Tulloch.

SQUIRES GATE – Fletcher, Richards, Ferguson, Penswick, Westwood, Anderson, McKenna (McKendrick 70mins), Hall, Buchan, Murphy, Dunn. Subs not used Bronley, Cunningham.

GOALS – 1874 Lunn 88 SQUIRES GATE Murphy 25

REFEREE – Thomas Parsons ATTENDANCE 265

MEN OF THE MATCH SELECTED BY MATCH SPONSORS – THE ASHLEY FAMILY

1874 – Adam Bayley SQUIRES GATE – Mark Buchan