1874 Northwich vs Colne

Recap

1874 NORTHWICH 1-4 COLNE  NWCFL PREMIER   14TH MARCH

A thoroughly professional performance by Colne condemned 1874 Northwich to their heaviest NWCFL defeat.  As disappointing as 1874’s disjoined display was, nothing should be taken away from Colne, who extended their run of consecutive league wins to eight.

A well organised team, who worked hard closing down their opponents not allowing them to settle, Colne fully deserved the three points. Passing the ball around well, the visitors started the brighter forcing Matt Conkie into saves from Simon Nangle and Danny Boyle in the opening 15 minutes.  Colne also had an early penalty appeal turned down when Chris Anderson went down in the area having been tackled by Lee Duckworth.

Having survived the opening period 1874 started to come more into the game with Matt Beadle firing a shot across the Colne goal in the 16th minute. A minute later Jordan Jonhson played the ball into Beadle, who with his back to goal controlled the ball on his chest, turned and shot. Unfortunately his shot was blocked by a Colne defender. Johnson had a shot from the edge of the area saved by Colne keeper Chris Thompson and Mike Brandon headed wide from a Stuart Weelstead cross.

Wellstead was forced to leave the pitch with blood pumping from a head wound resulting from an accidental clash of heads with Colne’s Joe Garvin in the 40th minute.

Spencer Jordan had the ball in the 1874 net in the 43rd minute but he was flagged offside. However, a minute later he opened the scoring with a well taken goal, running onto a through ball he blasted it past Conkie giving 1874’s keeper no chance.

1874 started the second half on the attack. Duckworth floated a free kick into the Colne area where Thompson, under challenge from Brandon, was unable to collect the high ball cleanly allowing it to fall to Beadle whose goalbound shot was deflected wide.

Colne doubled their advantage in the 58th minute when the lively Boyle drove an angled shot past Conkie for his 30th goal of the season. Boyle went close to grabbing another goal shooting narrowly wide before scoring from the penalty spot in the 75th minute after referee Phil Dermott had spotted a foul on a Colne player in the 1874 area.

Brandon headed a Johnson cross wide from six yards before 1874 pulled a goal back in the 77th minute. Matt Woolley played a free kick into the Colne area where Danny Thomas rose highest to head into the top corner. The goal sparked a mini 1874 revival. Several tame shots were directed goalwards, while Beadle had an effort cleared of the line, and also saw a dangerous cross pawed away for a corner by Thompson.

Deep into stoppage time substitute Ed Cockett, moments after entering the fray, completed the scoring turning the ball into the net from close range as 1874 conceded 4 goals in a home game for the first time in their history.

1874 – Conkie, Connor, Duckworth (Abdullah 65mins), Mitchell, Bayley, Thomas, Wellstead (Mannion 39mins), Woolley, Brandon, Beadle, Johnson (Lunn 75mins). Subs not used Abreu, Pouncey.

COLNE – Thompson, Stockdale, Williams, Coleman, Young, Nangle, Garvin (Tinker 77mins), Anderson, Jordan (Branski 85mins), Boyle (Cockett 95mins), Dermaine. Subs not used Cross, Cunningham.

GOALS – 1874 Thomas 77                  Colne Boyle 58, 75, Jordan 44, Cockett 97.

REFEREE – Phil Dermott                     ATTENDANCE – 298

MAN OF THE MATCH chosen by match sponsors – Graham Allen’s family – Danny Thomas