Uttoxeter Town 1 Northwich Vics 1

COMPETITION : Midland League Premier Div’n
DATE - Tuesday 12th September 2023
VENUE - Oldfields Sports Ground, Uttoxeter

LINE-UP Vics’ -
Reid,, Cookson, Cole, Battersby, Roberts, Clarke ( Krakue 90+2'), Smith, Kilheeney ( Parker 85'), Switters, Unwin, Perry

Unused Subs : Chapman, Exell, Grindrod

GOALS - : Uttoxeter Town : Wild 68'
Northwich Vics : Cookson 90+8'

Vics will be pleased to have grabbed a late equaliser, but they should have been well ahead by then.

Vics dominated the first half, but couldnt find the break through they desired. Five minutes in, Caelan Kilheeney glanced a header wide, after Dylan Switters had skinned his man and put in a superb cross. Vics kept up the pressure without really creating chances, but it was Uttoxeter who thought they had taken the lead in the 18th minute when a good cross was headed past Reid into the net, but it was rightly given offside. However, Vics kept pressing forward, Unwin had a shot into the side netting after 20 minutes whilst Marcus Perry forced a good save from Wood in the Uttoxeter goal, when he fizzed in a powerful strike which was pushed round the post. From the resulting corner, Perry's flick was cleared off the line. Unwin , then Perry had speculative shots at goals as Vics kept pressing, but the best chance for Vics came in the 38th minute as Samual Unwin was sent through one on one but Wood made a great save. The impressive Dylan Switters had the final chance of the half as a good cross fell to him in front of goal, but his effort was well blocked by the Town defence.

HALF-TIME : Uttoxeter Town 0 Northwich Vics 0

The second half was a little more stop start, with plenty of stoppages and the match became a little more scrappier with Uttoxeter having more of the ball than they did in the first. Vics' defence were coping well though though they were indebted to a great save from Adam Reid as he dived to his left to keep out a goal-bound effort from Town. A minute later, a deep cross was put in by Town, and the inrushing Town winger dived to the floor under pressure from Leo Roberts, and the referee bought it, and gave a penalty. Poor decision! The penalty was duly despatched by Kieron Wild as he sent Reid the wrong way. Vics very nearly equalised straight away, as a corner was sent into the far post where Matty Clarke prodded the ball towards goal but Wood somehow managed to push the ball over the bar without knowing too much a bout it. Then came a bizarre 10 minute delay as the keeper got treated for a gash on his chin caused by colliding with his own defender. For some reason, it took 5 people to attend to him, and 4 failed attempts to put a bandage over the cut, before someone put tape over it. Vics were still pressing, and Anton Smith should have done better in the 81st minute as he found himself free in the box but slammed his shot against a defender. Adam Reid then made 2 important saves as the game approached added on time, firstly diving to his left to keep a downwards header out, then diving low to keep out a shot when Uttoxeter should have done better. Then as time was running out, Vics earned a corner from the left which was put in, and Cookson came steaming in to power a header into the back of the net . Nothing less than Vics deserved.

FULL-TIME : Uttoxeter Town 1 Northwich Vics 1

A much better performance from Vics, and they will be disappointed they didn't claim all 3 points but they need to start taking more of the chances they create. I won't mention the Referee's or the far side assistant's performance

NEXT MATCHES: LEAGUE : SATURDAY 16th SEPTEMBER home v AFC WULFRUNIANS 3.00pm kick off U LOCK IT STADIUM, WINCHAM
MIDLAND LEAGUE CUP : TUESDAY 19th SEPTEMBER away v CONGLETON TOWN