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Review of the Season
Pete Tonge1 May - 17:03
A final disappointment but plenty of good times
NVFC Review of the Season 2025/26
With Managers Luke Goddard and Lee Duckworth ( Ducko) having had a full summer break to get together a new squad including big names Harry Davis and Sean Cooke, Vics’ fans were looking forward to the new season with great anticipation. Pre-season matches showed promising signs ( apart from a 7 -1 thrashing by our esteemed landlords, Runcorn Linnets). The season started properly in early August with the first match being the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round where we were drawn at home to Campion FC. A disappointing 2 -0 defeat was the result quickly bursting the bubble of anticipation that was in the air, and this was quickly followed by a draw at home against fancied Brocton in our first league match of the season. However, this was followed by a tremendous run of 10 consecutive wins during August and most of September which included emphatic wins against Abbey Hulton United ( 6 -1 ) , Highgate United ( 5-0 ) and a dramatic last minute winner (by Matty Clarke of all people ! ) against Stourport Swifts all in the League. We also recorded 2 wins in the FA Vase with victories against Winterton Rangers and then Maghull in the pouring rain. This winning run came to an abrupt and unfortunate end away at Lye Town where key players Jefferson Abreu and keeper Andre Mendes broke down en route to the match and Vics were forced to start the match with Luke Goddard in goal. We quickly went two down , then Luke was taken off with concussion to be replaced by striker Kie Hamm and we were 3 down at half time. Despite a spirited fight back, we lost 3 -2 to record our first loss in the League. However we were top and things were looking good as we went into October.
Encouragingly, the wins continued throughout October , with 2 big wins in the League, 3-0 against Tividale and 5-0 against Studley, when both matches include hat-tricks from Jefferson Abreu. The Fa Vase run continued with a revenge win against Campion , albeit on penalties, whilst in the Cheshire Senior Cup, Stalybridge Celtic were put to the sword with a 5-1 win recorded.
November started with two cup defeats, firstly a 4 -2 defeat at Droylsden in the FA Vase which was particularly disappointing as we had been 2 up after 30 minutes ! then a poor 3 - 1 defeat at Stone Old Alleynians in the Midland League Cup. Two postponed matches weren’t then the best build up to a top of the table clash away at Hanley Town but Vics never gave up and grabbed a dramatic last minute win with a goal from Harry Davis. Cue delight from the travelling trickies !
December and January saw the usual burst of postponements but we did manage to remain unbeaten during those two months recording 3 wins and 5 draws to maintain top spot but the gap was diminishing. Also during January, we had the disappointing news that Joint Manager Luke Goddard was leaving the Club to take over his home town Club Nantwich Town, a move that he couldn’t turn down.
February saw 3 wins against lowly clubs but also a loss away against play off chasing Brocton whilst March saw our lead at the top disappear as we dropped important points against Whitchurch Alport ( 3 - 3) which was followed by a 1-1 draw against new leaders Hanley Town and then another draw against high flying Winsford United. Worst was to come as we lost to AFC Wolverhampton City with a poor display but we managed to end the month on a high with a 6 -0 win away at relegation bound Studley to maintain our now slight hopes of catching leaders Hanley Town.
Despite two wins in April the title was lost as Hanley kept up their impressive run to win automatic promotion, and well deserved it was. That disappointment was highlighted by a poor display in the Northwich derby against 1874 Northwich .
So it was into the play-offs we went with a trip down to AFC Wolverhampton City where we had lost barely a month earlier. As then, we went a goal down but this time we battled back and grabbed an equaliser through Sean Cooke to take the tie onto penalties.
Andre Mendes’ brilliant save of City’s first penalty set the tone and 5 top class penalties later, Vics were through with Kie Hamm keeping his nerve and scoring the “winning” penalty to send the couple of hundreds of Vics’ fans there into a frenzy of delight.
So it’s was onto the play-off final against 1874 Northwich ( you couldn’t write a script like it ), hopes were high but it was not to be as we went down to a second half goal after another poor display. However, despite the final disappointment, its been a great season and we’re already looking forward to the 2026/27 season. Roll on August!
With Managers Luke Goddard and Lee Duckworth ( Ducko) having had a full summer break to get together a new squad including big names Harry Davis and Sean Cooke, Vics’ fans were looking forward to the new season with great anticipation. Pre-season matches showed promising signs ( apart from a 7 -1 thrashing by our esteemed landlords, Runcorn Linnets). The season started properly in early August with the first match being the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round where we were drawn at home to Campion FC. A disappointing 2 -0 defeat was the result quickly bursting the bubble of anticipation that was in the air, and this was quickly followed by a draw at home against fancied Brocton in our first league match of the season. However, this was followed by a tremendous run of 10 consecutive wins during August and most of September which included emphatic wins against Abbey Hulton United ( 6 -1 ) , Highgate United ( 5-0 ) and a dramatic last minute winner (by Matty Clarke of all people ! ) against Stourport Swifts all in the League. We also recorded 2 wins in the FA Vase with victories against Winterton Rangers and then Maghull in the pouring rain. This winning run came to an abrupt and unfortunate end away at Lye Town where key players Jefferson Abreu and keeper Andre Mendes broke down en route to the match and Vics were forced to start the match with Luke Goddard in goal. We quickly went two down , then Luke was taken off with concussion to be replaced by striker Kie Hamm and we were 3 down at half time. Despite a spirited fight back, we lost 3 -2 to record our first loss in the League. However we were top and things were looking good as we went into October.
Encouragingly, the wins continued throughout October , with 2 big wins in the League, 3-0 against Tividale and 5-0 against Studley, when both matches include hat-tricks from Jefferson Abreu. The Fa Vase run continued with a revenge win against Campion , albeit on penalties, whilst in the Cheshire Senior Cup, Stalybridge Celtic were put to the sword with a 5-1 win recorded.
November started with two cup defeats, firstly a 4 -2 defeat at Droylsden in the FA Vase which was particularly disappointing as we had been 2 up after 30 minutes ! then a poor 3 - 1 defeat at Stone Old Alleynians in the Midland League Cup. Two postponed matches weren’t then the best build up to a top of the table clash away at Hanley Town but Vics never gave up and grabbed a dramatic last minute win with a goal from Harry Davis. Cue delight from the travelling trickies !
December and January saw the usual burst of postponements but we did manage to remain unbeaten during those two months recording 3 wins and 5 draws to maintain top spot but the gap was diminishing. Also during January, we had the disappointing news that Joint Manager Luke Goddard was leaving the Club to take over his home town Club Nantwich Town, a move that he couldn’t turn down.
February saw 3 wins against lowly clubs but also a loss away against play off chasing Brocton whilst March saw our lead at the top disappear as we dropped important points against Whitchurch Alport ( 3 - 3) which was followed by a 1-1 draw against new leaders Hanley Town and then another draw against high flying Winsford United. Worst was to come as we lost to AFC Wolverhampton City with a poor display but we managed to end the month on a high with a 6 -0 win away at relegation bound Studley to maintain our now slight hopes of catching leaders Hanley Town.
Despite two wins in April the title was lost as Hanley kept up their impressive run to win automatic promotion, and well deserved it was. That disappointment was highlighted by a poor display in the Northwich derby against 1874 Northwich .
So it was into the play-offs we went with a trip down to AFC Wolverhampton City where we had lost barely a month earlier. As then, we went a goal down but this time we battled back and grabbed an equaliser through Sean Cooke to take the tie onto penalties.
Andre Mendes’ brilliant save of City’s first penalty set the tone and 5 top class penalties later, Vics were through with Kie Hamm keeping his nerve and scoring the “winning” penalty to send the couple of hundreds of Vics’ fans there into a frenzy of delight.
So it’s was onto the play-off final against 1874 Northwich ( you couldn’t write a script like it ), hopes were high but it was not to be as we went down to a second half goal after another poor display. However, despite the final disappointment, its been a great season and we’re already looking forward to the 2026/27 season. Roll on August!
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