1874 Northwich vs Irlam

Recap

1874 SLUMP TO DEFEAT

By Garry Clarke

1874 NORTHWICH 2-4 IRLAM HSL PREMIER 12THJANUARY 2019

Irlam maintained their unbeaten record against 1874 Northwich at St Luke’s Barton Stadium with a deserved victory as both team struggled to adapt to the blustery conditions.

In the opening minutes 1874 goalkeeper Dane Rigby saved a shot from Matt Boland while Hayden Foulds was wide of the target with an effort from distance. At the other end Irlam goalkeeper Lee White saved from Matt Woolley, Lee Jackson’s shot was turned away for a corner, while Scott McGowan had a shot blocked.

1874 opened the scoring in the 26th minute. Sam Hare played the played the ball across the face of Irlam’s goal from the right, arriving undetected at the far post Taylor Kennerley slotted the ball home from six yards.

A few minutes later 1874 went close to doubling their advantage. Paul Connor pulled the ball back to McGowan who slipped it into the path of Callum Gardner, his shot from outside the area scrapped the outside of the post.

On the half hour mark Perry broke through 1874’s defence, his weak shot was easily saved by Rigby. However, three minutes later Perry set up the Irlam’s equaliser. Pinching the ball off Paul Connor he got in behind 1874’s rearguard, cutting in from the left he delivered a cross into the box where Jordan Buckley swept the ball past Rigby.

Ten minutes into the second half 1874 received a warning of what was to come later in the game. Clearing a corner Irlam raced the full length of the pitch before Rigby saved well to deny Perry.

Moments later Gardner had a hot cleared off the line as Irlam scrambled the ball clear.

In the 73rd minute Irlam substitute Liam Pollitt raced down the left wing exchanging passes with team mates as he entered 1874’s penalty area he drilled an angled shot across Rigby into the far corner of the net.

Their lead lasted just a minute as Mike Koral battled his way through Irlam’s defence to open his account for 1874 scoring from a tight angle.

Irlam regained the advantage four minutes later with a bizarre goal. A free kick cleared the 1874 rearguard finding Buckley unmarked. His angled volley over Rigby hit the far post, bounced along the goal line struck the near post and rebounded off Rigby as he tried to grab the ball which ended up in the back of the net.

With 1874 pushing extra players forward in search of an equaliser, Irlam struck again three minutes later. Taking advantage of the extra room Pollitt broke down the left wing, he passed inside to Perry who drilled his shot past Rigby.

In the closing minutes White saved from McGowan and debutant Kyle Phipps, who became the youngest player to play for 1874, headed wide from a free kick.

1874 – Rigby, Connor, L Jackson, Woolley, Meadowcroft (Waite-Jackson 80), Irlam (Phipps 85), Gardner, Ormrod, McGowan, Hare, Kennerley (Koral). Subs not used Johnstone, Coates.

IRLAM – White, Stewart, Armdo, Doyle, Ledson, Braithwaite, Perry, Morrison, Buckley, Boland (Eyres 65), Foulds (Pollitt 65). Subs not used Griffiths, Jones, Nixon.

GOALS – 1874 Kennerley 26, Koral 74 IRLAM Buckley 33, Pollitt 73, OG 78, Perry 81

ATTENDANCE 245 REFEREE L Sinclair

Men of the match selected by Match Sponsor ALAN ANDREWS

1874 – Lee Jackson

Irlam – Jordan Buckley