Northwich Vics 0 Lichfield City 3

COMPETITION : Midland League Premier Div’n
DATE - Monday 28th August 2023
VENUE - U Lock It Stadium, Northwich

LINE-UP Vics’ -
Saunders, Camozzi, Cookson, Battersby, Chapman ( Cole 69’), Jackson, Clarke ( Turner 82’), Smith ( Exell 63’), Kilheeney (Switters 63'), Unwin, Perry (Parker 69’)

GOALS - : Lichfield City : Wonder, 37’ Edwards 56’, Kirton 76’

A match that Vics never really got started , and Lichfield took full advantage .

The first half proved to be a midfield battle with few chances for either team. Marcus Perry was inches away from a lovely Joe Camozzi diagonal through ball in the 10th minute whilst deputy keeper Russel Saunders for Vics , in for the injured Adam Reid, was nearly undone by a 20th minute free-kick but grabbed it at the second attempt. Vics best chance came in the 29th minute as Camozzi received a quick throw, and crossed for Ryan Jackson to head just over the bar. whilst a couple of minutes later, it needed a great save by Saunders to deny Lichfield’s Edwards the opening goal. However it was Lichfield who grabbed the lead in the 37th minute as a quick free kick caught Vics out, leaving Haines free on the left before crossing for Wonder to stab the ball home. Vics twice came close to an equaliser just before half time, first a Matty Clarke thunderbolt was heading for the top corner before a Lichfield defender got his head in the way of it , and then Ryan Jackson curled a shot in but was denied by a wonderful save by the keeper.

HALF-TIME : Northwich Vics 0 Lichfield City 1

Lichfield came out for the second half on the front foot, and Saunders was forced into a fantastic save from point blank range in the 51st minute, whilst a couple of minutes later, Kirton narrowly headed wide from an Edwards free-kick. City extended their lead in the 56th minute as Burnside did well down the right and Edwards finished well with a fine strike from the angle. City kept pressing, Haines had a 25 year shot deflected for a corner, whilst Wonder should have done better with a free header from a corner. Then they should have scored a third, as Edwards went round the keeper and when faced with an open goal, he smashed it over the bar somehow. Then in the 76th minute, Vics had an effort cleared off the line, and City broke quickly , and Kirton was there to slot the ball past Saunders to finish the match as a contest. To compound Vics’ woes, Sam Unwin was sent off after 90 minutes after collecting two quick yellow cards.

FULL-TIME : Northwich Vics 0 Lichfield City 3

After an even first half, Vics simply weren’t at the office for the second and Lichfield were full value for their win

NEXT MATCH: LEAGUE : SATURDAY 9th SEPTEMBER home v TIVIDALE 3.00pm kick off