Hanley Town v Northwich Victoria 22nd November 2017 Macron Cup 2nd round

DATE - Wednesday 22nd November 2017. COMPETITION - Macron Cup Round Two. VENUE - Potteries Park, Hanley, Stoke-On-Trent.

Vics' LINE-UP -
Donlon, Grant, Kenny (D), Barski (D), Johnson, Bennett (C), Bickett, Gorman (Durnin H/T) (caution), Matthews (Walker 85'), Gyimah (S/O 59'), Hart (caution) (Shaw 88'). Un-used sub' - Lawrence.
D - Denotes debut.

Unavailable for Vics' - Reece Lyndon (ankle), Anthony Shinks (Knee), Sam Fitton (work), Allan Weston (Fractured cheekbone), Ian Willis (family commitments), Sam Fitton (ill), Danny McDonnell (family commitments) Matty Clarke (cup-tied).

GOALS -
Hanley - Neville Thompson 7', Josh Thorpe 71', Tom Ashton 90'. Vics' - Kenny 2', Gyimah 5', Matthews 27', 61', Hart 55'.

Vics' M.O.M - Jason Hart. Another clinical finish to add to an already impressive tally since signing. Three assists and worked like a terrier all game. Outstanding.

This league cup tie started underneath rainy skies in Stoke but those dark clouds were banished by the men in Green and white in only the second minute when centre-back Kieron Kenny marked his debut with a glancing header from ten yards out into the corner of the net following a beautifully taken free-kick from the far touch-line by in-form Jason Hart. It was the defender's first touch too.
The lead was doubled on 5' when Yaw Gyimah's diving header was saved by the keeper' but the ball was only parried back to him and he duly broke the back of the net from short range; hammering in right-footed. Dan Johnson had created the chance with a great cross from the far left-hand side with the outside of his left boot.
Hanley responded when Neville Thompson rapped in a left-foot finish from 15 yards after a bit of ping-pong in the area, lots of legs and limbs wildly slashing at a loose ball.
Hanley continued to probe and on 13' Theo Stair drilled a left-foot free-kick into the side-netting from 20 yards, end-to-end stuff in the game's opening quarter.
Brian Matthews restored Vics' two-goal lead on 27' - steering a deft header past the keeper from 10 yards after another delightful curling free-kick by Jason Hart into the dangerzone. Vics' held onto the two-goal cushion until the half-time break with relative ease.

HALF-TIME - Hanley Tn 1-3 Vics'.

Vics' came out for the second half still looking good and aiming to increase the goals tally. On 55' Jason Hart applied a fine finish with the outside of his right boot from ten yards; steering in a deep cross from the far side by sub' Oscar Durnin.
Just short of the hour; Vics' front-man Yaw Gyimah was sent off along with Town' midfielder Stanyer after he cynically fouled Gyimah, a bad one. Gyimah kicked out in retaliation and a mass brawl ensued. Once the chaos had abated, the referee sent off the pair and booked Theo Stair. Vics' made it a nap-hand two minutes later when Brian Matthews turned and shot from 8 yards into the bottom corner, Jason Hart with a clever assist had rolled a perfect ball into his feet after some quick build-up play previously.
On 75' the hosts' centre-back Josh Thorpe 5 prodded in from a yard out following a corner after the ball was ricocheting in the area. They added a further consolation on 90' when Tom Ashton stabbed in at the far post left-footed from 3 yards after Thompson's low drilled shot was parried by Vics' keeper' Donlon. In between on 87' Vics' almost hit the half-dozen mark when a lightning-quick raid by saw Jason Hart cutely roll the ball along the edge of the box and feed the rampaging Danny Johnson whose left-foot howitzer from 16 yards was unbelievably saved by the home glove-man.

FULL-TIME - Hanley Tn 3-5 Vics'.

Jamie Dewsbury spoke with Vics' boss Steve Wilkes after the five-star win -

A great performance away from home against the league's second place team and a good response to last Saturday's set-back, Steve (Runcorn Linnets.)

Steve Wilkes -

I was really pleased with the performance from all the players last night, to bounce back from Saturdays defeat against second in the table and away from home made me smile all the way home down the M6. I think 5-3 flatters Hanley if I'm being honest. They just couldn't live with our forward play all night. I don't usually pick out individuals for praise as it's a team game, but I just want to say how pleased I am for Yaw Gyimah. He's been patient when new forwards have come into the club - at one point he was thinking about leaving, but we had a chat and he's worked so hard in training and in games when he's come on and last night he got his goal that everyone at the club has been wishing him to get. His work-rate last night, along with the other 10 was tremendous and the only sad point was his reaction to being stamped on, which saw him see red.

Match report & interview by Jamie Dewsbury.

Up next for Vics' is a HOME league fixture Vs Charnock Richard FC on Sat 25th November 2017. K.o is at 15:00.