Vics overcome Widnes in FA Cup

COMPETITION - F.A CUP Extra Preliminary Round.

DATE - Wednesday 15th August 2018. VENUE - Wincham Park, Northwich.

Attendance - 132.

Unavailable for Vics’ - Billy Webb (thigh), Matty Clarke (tibia).

LINE-UP’S - Vics’ - Taberner, Camozzi, Barski (caution) Kenny (caution), Monson (caution), Cooke (C), Whittle, Craig (Shinks 129’), Connolly (caution) (McDonald 108’), Doran (Matthews 113’), Brownhill (Gorman 118’).
Un-used subs’ - Bickett, Ayres, Neild.

Widnes - Mottram, Graham, Johnstone (caution), Pollard (C) (caution) (Sheen 99’), Cartwright, Burke, George Lomax, Grogan, Hodkinson (Croughan 105’), Ventre (caution) (Chris Lomax 63’)(caution), Korie-Butler (Towey 77’)
Un-used subs’ - Akrigg, Webster, Jones.

GOALS - Vics’ - John Connolly 98’.

Widnes started the brightest in the opening exchanges of this all-important F.A Cup preliminary round replay. Front-man Ben Hodkinson caused some early problems; his flashing header cleared the bar on 9’ from Kev Pollard’s centre.
Vics’ first decent chance arrived just before the half-hour when John Connolly’s rising free-kick from 22 yards had Mottram in trouble in the visitors’ goal but the ball went wide.

HALF-TIME - Vics’ 0-0 Widnes.

The second half was much like the first, plenty of effort and speed of play shown by both sides but no real chances created at either end until Vics’ full-back Kirtis Monson crossed from the left and picked out the head of Rob Doran but the effort lacked direction from 10 yards and Mottram collected at the second attempt on 65’.
Vics’ keeper Danny Taberner made an excellent save on 85’ to deny Ben Hodkinsons’ rising drive from 12 yards on an angle, finger-tipping the ball over the bar for a corner.
The game ended in normal time with both sides having to settle for an extra 30 minutes of play.

First-half extra-time -

Extra-time began with both sides desperate to make the all-important break-through. Widnes nearly provided it on 95’ when Chris Lomax saw his low fizzing effort deflected wide by the boot of Kieron Kenny, the shot was goal-bound and almost certainly would have had Vics’ glove-man Taberner in trouble.
Vics’ did make that break-through three minutes later though; when a piece of ingenuity by hit-man Joel Brownhill saw him flight a perfect cross-field ball from just inside the Green and Whites’ half, to pick out the marauding run of John Connolly who in turn cushioned the ball onto his chest; bringing the ball down and crashing the ball past the helpless Richie Mottram from 10 yards into the bottom corner of the net via his trusty left-foot - a clinical finish.

Second-half extra-time -

In the first minute of the closing period, Dom Craig picked out another Connolly run but Mottram was equal to his effort this time; clutching the ball at the second attempt from his low fizzing shot from 15 yards. There then followed a lot of breaks in play for petty and minor offences as the vistors’ desperation to get back on terms became more evident. Sub’ and player-manager Kev Towey nearly broke clear on 115’ after a jinking run and was stopped by a perfectly-executed tackle by the consistent Brandon Barski. Vics’ saw out the remaining five minutes with minimum of fuss; repelling anything that Widnes had to offer as a preliminary round tie at Burscough on 25th August was booked.

Vics’ MOM - John Connolly. An excellent performance by the former City Of Liverpool schemer. Accomplished in possession and industrious without. Match-winning goal taken well under pressure with dead-eye accuracy.

Vics’ boss Steve Wilkes’ verdict -

“I’m really proud of my players tonight. I didn’t think we played particularly well first-half; a few words were said at half-time, we tweaked things slightly and you saw the results from the second-half onwards. I think over the two games we just about edged it. Pleasing thing for me was how fit we looked in extra-time. We need to show that same fight when we play Burscough away in the next round. I’m really pleased for everyone at the football behind the scenes. I know it’s only winning one game but you saw the scenes at the end of the game with the players and fans. The FA Cup has always had a special bond with Northwich Victoria and its fans, and last night you could see that. We’ve got two important league games before we go to Burscough in the next round, so we need to focus on those now.”

Match report & interview by Jamie Dewsbury.

Up next for Vics’ is a HOME league match Vs Winsford United on Sat 18th August with a 15:00 K.O