1874 Northwich vs Runcorn Town

Recap

1874 SAY GOODBYE TO WINSFORD WITH A WIN

BY GARRY CLARKE

1874 NORTHWICH 3-0 RUNCORN TOWN HSL PREMIER 27TH APRIL 2019

1874 Northwich ended their 2018/19 league campaign with a victory as the green and blacks beat Runcorn Town 3-0 in their last home game at St Luke’s Barton Stadium.

Heavy rain driven across a sodden pitch by strong gusting winds made playing controlled football difficult on a cold April afternoon, but both sides did their best to entertain the 159 spectators who had braved the elements.

1874 dominated the game which man of the match Aaron Smith prominent. As early as the second minute he ended a strong run by slipping the ball into the path of Jake Parker who shot narrowly wide from ten yards. Three minutes later Smith intercepted a pass from a Runcorn defender, he was beaten to the ball by Runcorn keeper Adam Reid whose clearance fell to Callum Gardner whose first time effort was off target.

Reid cut out a dangerous Scott McGowan cross in the 15th minute and two minutes later pulled off a good one handed diving save to keep out a long range Smith shot, the keeper reacted to quickly to prevent McGowan netting the rebound.

A Paul Connor cross found Gardner unmarked at the far post but from close range he lifted the ball over the bar in the 36th minute while four minutes later Reid saved bravely at the feet of Sam Hind as a free kick was played into Runcorn’s six yard box.

On the stroke of half time Runcorn’s Francois Antonie fired a shot wide of 1874’s goal as had Shaun Weaver in the 4th minute.

Two minutes after the restart 1874 took the lead when Smith met a Gardner free kick to volley the ball past a helpless Reid from six yards.

Antonie fired a shot across the face of 1874’s goal just before the hour mark. Just after the hour Sam Hare fired a shot over the Runcorn bar as did Smith from a free kick before 1874 doubled their lead in the 79th minute.

Gardner slipped the ball to Kyle Phipps, rounding the Runcorn defence and cutting inside the 1874 teenager from a tight angle drilled the ball in between Reid and his near post to open his account for the club.

Matt Woolley completed the scoring in the 89th minute, Gardner played a free kick low into Runcorn’s six yard area where Woolley beat Reid to the ball steering it into the net from close range.

As the game entered stoppage time 1874 goalkeeper Tony Aghayere pulled off a top class flying one handed save to palm away a long range Weaver spot.

1874 – Aghayere, Connor, Russell, Lever, Johnston, Ormrod ( M Woolley 66), Hind, Smith, McGowan (Phipps 69), Parker (Hare 60), Gardner. Subs not used L Jackson, Koral

RUNCORN – Reid, Wainwright (Garbe 50), Turner, Thelwall, James, Rodgers (Bandell Childs 60), Byrnes (Jennings 80), Weaver, France, Antoine, Exell. Subs not used McManus, Jarrett.

GOALS – 1874 Smith 47, Phipps 79, Woolley 89

ATTENDANCE 159 REFEREE K Silcock

Man of the match selected by match sponsor STEVE PARKER = Aaron Smith