LINE-UP Vics’ -
Prior, Cairns, Jacaj, Gamble, Argent-Barnes (Hurst 50’), Hayder (Burey 35’), Clarke, Lloyd, Nyamwanzi (Gardiner 90’), Deering (Farnworth 57’), Hamm (Knight C 69’)

GOALS : Northwich Vics : Hamm 4’ Hurst 87’
Highgate Utd : 58’

Vics made it 4 wins out of 6 as goals at the start and end of the match won this encounter for Vics, and it could have been a lot more comfortable win had it not been for 4 goals being disallowed !

Indeed Vics had the ball in the net 4 times in the first 15 minutes as they started at a gallup, unfortunately only one of the those goals counted.
First to be disallowed was in the first minute when Simba Nyamwanzi bundled the ball into the net after the ball was well cut back to him but the linesman’s flag was up . Undaunted Vics kept pressing and in the 4th minute, Kieran Hamm was sent through on goal and made no mistake with his strike under the keeper. Just 5 minutes later, it was Hamm again who got onto the end of a great Nyamwanzi cross to head the ball past Foster into the Highgate net…linesman flag again! not too sure about that one! Then Hamm and Deering had strikes at goal before in the 15th minute, Kieran Hamm struck again as the ball was cut back to him but again it was disallowed ! After this storming start by Vics, the game started to settle down with Highgate finally starting to get into the match without really threatening with Vics’ centre back pairing of Jacaj and Cairns dominant at the back.

HALF-TIME : Northwich Vics 1 Highgate Utd 0

Vics again started the half strongly and should have extended their lead in the 50th minute as Bevan Burey battled well to win the ball before feeding Hamm who just had the keeper to beat but his finish was straight at the keeper. Five minutes later, it was Hamm again who charged down an attempted clearance from Foster, the keeper, and he was unlucky to see the rebound go just past the post. Then in the 58th minute, Highgate got back in the match as they broke quickly and their striker was allowed to run with the ball before firing a fine strike into the corner of the net giving Prior no chance. Vics thought they had regained the lead just two minutes later as Tom Gamble sent a free kick from out wide into the top corner of the net, and Blerti Jacaj got a slight touch on it as it went over the goal line but the linesman was there again with his flag….definitely not sure about this one ! It looked like it was going to be one of them days ! However, Vics kept pressing with Highgate relying on breaking quickly. Substitute Cory Knight was denied by a great last ditch tackle, and Matt Farnworth fired a shot over the bar before in the 87th minute Joe Hurst jinked past the full back and curled an absolute belter into the top corner of the net ( definitely not a cross ) to put Vics back into the lead and earn a deserved win for the Vics.

FULL-TIME : Northwich Vics 2 Highgate Utd 1

All credit to Vics who may not have been at their fluent best but never stopped working and pressing for the win with Kieran Hamm leading the line well upfront whilst Jacaj and Cairns were immense at the back barely giving Highgate a chance.

Next Match :
Saturday 15th March Home v Dudley Town 3.00pm