LINE-UP Vics’ -
Mendes, Kandeke, Davis, Langley, Lawton, Yussuf, Lloyd, Tanswell, Abreu, Cooke, Leitch-Smith
Subs : Hamm, Bentley, Igoe, Clarke, Fleming

Goals :
AFC Wolverhampton City : Houlihan 22’
Northwich Vics : Cooke 80’

Penalties : AWC 4 Vics 5 ( Cooke, Kandeke, Davis, Abreu, Hamm

Vics progressed through to the Play-off final after a game of two halves resulted in a dramatic penalty shoot-out where keeper Andre Mendes gave Vics an immediate advantage by saving City’s first penalty. Then Vics impressively kept the nerve by scoring all their 5 penalties
City had the best of the first half though Vics had the first chance though it was a tame effort by Leitch-Smith easily saved by Arnold in the City net. It wasn’t long before City took the lead in the 22nd minute as Kai Houlihan finished nicely with a shot across the goal into the corner. Four minutes, it could have been two as Houlihan ran through only to see his shot superbly tipped over the bar by Mendes. Vics were struggling to get into the match but nearly equalised in the 45th minute as Arnold was forced into a great save low down from an Abreu shot. Two minutes later on the stroke of half time, it was Mendes’ turn to produce a brilliant save from a Houlihan header.
The second half was a different affair with Vics playing further upfield and pressing City onto the back foot. Will Lloyd was causing problems with surging runs from midfield as Vics went in search of an equaliser. Half chances came and went and then with ten minutes left, Arnold did well to save a shot from Lloyd pushing the ball to the left of the goal where Sean Cooke did well to fire the rebound back across him into the net sending the Vics fans behind the goal wild with delight. The last 10 minutes were nerve-racking with both teams now pressing for a winning goal with half chances at both ends, however no further goals led to the dramatic penalty shoot-out which left Vics to progress through to the play-off final.

NEXT MATCH : PLAYOFF FINAL 25th APRIL 2026
Northwich Victoria v 1874 Northwich :
Apec Taxis Stadium , Runcorn