Northwich Vics 1 Stockport County 0

COMPETITION -Cheshire Senior Cup 2nd Round
DATE - Wednesday 8th January 2020
VENUE - Wincham Park, Northwich

LINE-UP Vics’ -
Taberner, Henry, Clarke P, Kenny, Forbes ( Powell 36'), Barski, Camozzi, Clarke M, Winder R, Kilifin ( Winder J 87') , Henderson ( Dorney 88')
Un-used subs’ - Peters, Pollard

Bookings : Clarke M 12'

GOALS : Kilifin 55'

Northwich Vics shock Conference League Stockport County in Cheshire Senior Cup win

A match in which Vics started slowly but gradually worked their way into and by the end thoroughly deserved their win.

Stockport County's young side started brightly, and Danny Taberner in the Vics' net had to be alert after just 5 minutes when he rushed out to dive on a loose ball before a county attacker could get there. They kept pressing forward having most of the play, but apart from a few corners never really tested Tabbs again until the 20th minute, when he had to brilliantly tip a free-kick from the edge of the area away for a corner. Two minutes later, he repeated the feat again from a free kick which was heading for the top corner. Vics were finally creeping their way into the match now, and after 29 minutes, Ryan Winder superbly controlled a long ball down the right, and drove into the area, and tried an effort which was blocked out and fell to Matty Clarke on the edge of the box , but his well struck drive was inches wide of the left post.
40 minutes in, and another chance for Vics, as Brandon Barski did well to win the ball back in midfield and slide the ball through to Kilifin on the edge of the area, he slipped the ball across to Saul Henderson but the ball was running away from him, and his shot lacked direction. Just before half-time, Vics were even closer as Tom Kilifin did brilliantly to beat a couple of defenders and get a shot towards goal, but it got a slight deflection and hit the post rather then the back of the net. So Close.

HALF-TIME : Northwich Vics 0 Stockport County 0

Just two minutes into the second half, a Vics' long throw, was superbly flicked on at the near post by Henderson . Tom Kilifin reacted quicker but his header was extremely well saved by Willan in the County net for a corner, the corner was whipped in, and met by the head of Keiron Kenny and looked a certain goal but it was superbly cleared off the line by Josh Robinson for County. Vics did take the lead after 55 minutes, as another corner was floated to the far post , and was headed to Tom Kilifin nearly on the bye-line who somehow managed to power a header over the County Keeper into the net from the tightest of angles. 5 minutes later, and Vics were playing the ball around confidently now, Henderson laid the ball of to Matty Clarke who played it to Ryan Winder in some space, and he cracks a shot just wide of the post. County were trying to get forward now, and in the 61st minute, Taberner had Ito rush out and clear the ball just before the onrushing Nyaupembe got there as he was clean through. Vics were looking fairly comfortable now, and in the 76th minute, , Saul Henderson did well to beat his man, and fire a shot in which was well blocked and eventually cleared. The rest of the game passed by with few alarms for Vics, and indeed they nearly scored a second in the last couple of minutes when a long ball reached substitute Josh Winder down the right, and he tried an audacious volley from a tight angle which only just went over the bar.

FULL-TIME - Northwich Vics 1 Stockport County 0

An excellent display by Vics who grew in confidence as the game progressed and thoroughly deserved their win against Conference League Stockport County to progress through to the next round of the Cheshire Senior Cup.

Vics’ boss Steve Wilkes’ Post-match verdict -

"I’m pleased for the players after tonight’s win. It’s been coming and to beat a team four divisions higher than us; admittedly with a youthful side out - will hopefully help regain the confidence the players have lost recently.

We need to back it up now on Saturday 11th January against Avro who we play at home (15:00 K.O) "