Abbey Hey vs 1874 Northwich

Recap

1874 LOSE OUT AT ABBEY HEY

ABBEY HEY FC 4 V 2 1874 NORTHWICH FC

1874 travelled to Manchester for only their eighth league game so far this season and they were looking to take all three points from this fixture especially as their very impressive FA Cup journey this season has seen them drop into the lower third of the Premier League table albeit after having played fewer league games than any other club.

However, they were dealt a blow even before the game kicked off as Lee Jackson was added to the list of injured players not currently available for selection and this list already included Danny Thomas, Ryan Jackson, Joe Woolley, Ryan Mitchell and Danny Meadowcroft. Of course these absences provided other squad members with the opportunity to impress their Managers and perhaps stake a place for more regular starting games.

The good news was that Mark Jones was available again and he started alongside Matt Woolley, Jake Parker and Sam Hind in midfield.

1874 started well straight from the kick off looking keen to get forward in attempt to take the game to their hosts but they suffered a major shock as early as the third minute by going behind when Abbey Hey won the ball on their left hand side and quickly moved downfield with a real purpose allowing Adam Farrand to score with a shot from 6 yards and they didn’t have to wait too long to add to their lead as Ashford Blake scored with a good effort from 10 yards to rock 1874 – two goals behind and only 8 minutes gone!

It could have got worse on 17 minutes when Paul Connor lost the ball on a forage up field and once again Abbey Hey quickly moved the ball around the park with consummate ease but thankfully on this occasion Greg Hall came to his side’s rescue by saving the effort.

Alas it did get worse for 1874 a couple of minutes later when Paul Connor saw red for a tackle that in the referee’s eyes was reckless and deserving of a dismissal. So two nil down and with only ten players it certainly didn’t look too promising for 1874.

To their credit 1874 continued to try and get forward at every opportunity but of course they had to be mindful of their opponents having an extra man and also they had already shown their ability to get forward quickly and create chances and indeed the next chance of the game did fall to their hosts but once again Hall came to 1874’s rescue with a fine save.

In the last ten minutes or so of the half 1874 grew a little in confidence and it did seem as though with their attacking options they could get back into the game and so this proved almost on the stroke of half-time when Adam Whitlock scored a wonderful goal after cutting in from the left wing before unleashing an unstoppable drive into the far bottom corner.

Half Time 2 -1

On the resumption 1874 looked more lively as they set about their task and on the hour mark they were really very much back in the game as leading goalscorer Scott McGowan equalised with a strong shot from 12 yards out through a crowded goalmouth giving the home keeper no chance of saving.

The game was switching from end to end now as both sides searched for a goal to secure all three points and the game certainly had more goals in it and this was proved as the home side secured a victory by scoring two goals in the final 15 minutes. First of all after 74 minutes Bembo scored after he was presented with the opportunity as a corner wasn’t cleared properly and although 74 pushed forward again relentlessly in search of another equaliser it was not to be as Abbey Hey increased their lead after 81 minutes thanks to a strike from substitute Noon

1874: Hall; Connor; Woods: Pritchard; Lever; Jones; Whitlock; M Woolley (c); McGowan; Hind & Parker. Subs: Riley; Haughton; Kennerley; Waite-Jackson & Mitchell

Attendance: 115

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