LINE-UP Vics’ -
Mendes, Fleming (Leitch-Smith 85’), Lawson, Langley, Lawton (Kandeke 67’), Atkinson, Lloyd (Clarke 73’), Tanswell , Yusuff (Abreu 67’), Cooke, Bentley (Hamm 73’)

Goals :
Northwich Vics : Bentley 24’, 41’, Cooke 33’,82’, Langley 70’, Leitch-Smith 90+2’

Vics hit relegation threatened Studley for six with a convincing display once the first goal had gone in with Will Bentley and Sean Cooke both getting a brace whilst Josh Langley with his first for Vics and a late Leitch-Smith strike completed the scoring.
It was a fairly quiet start to the match for Vics with Studley holding their own and indeed having the first real chance of the match in the 19th minute when their striker was free on the left but struck his shot into the side netting rather then the goal when well placed. However Vics took the lead shortly afterwards as the hard working Will Lloyd won the ball back, and drove into the area under pressure from two defenders, crossed the ball low which rebounded from the keeper and the alert Will Bentley was on hand to stab the ball into the net on his full debut. This settled the Vics down and they started to become more fluent, with Ryan Atkinson causing Studley all sorts of problems down the right with his pace and trickery. It was indeed the young winger who set up the second goal after 33 minutes as he beat his full back , and fired a shot which the keeper did well to save but could only parry out for Will Lloyd to back heel to Sean Cooke who brilliantly turned and finished into the bottom corner. Vics made it three before half time with a superb move down the left as Fleming beat his man and crossed which found Bas Yusuff who calmly squared the ball to his right for Will Bentley to slot the ball home for his second of the match.
Bentley could, and maybe should have completed his hat-trick early in the second half as another great move ended with him striking the post from a narrow angle two minutes after the break. Fleming then played a lovely one two with Yusuff but his effort was well saved by the young Studley keeper. Studley were trying to press for a way back into the match and Mendes in the Vics’ net had to save brilliantly to deny them a goal in the 60th minute, and then saw a shot go high over the bar during Studley’s best spell of the match. However Vics put the game to bed in the 70th minute as a corner was recycled well for Josh Langley to hit a sweet strike into the corner from 20 yards for Vics’ 4th goal. The match was now done and dusted as a contest but Vics kept pressing and scored a beauty of a goal in the 82nd minute. Leo Tanswell beat the offside trap and coolly laid the ball back perfectly for Sean Cooke to place a first time shot into the net. Then in the last couple of minutes , Vics made it six as Jefferson Abreu latched onto a long ball down the left, but saw his shot saved but only for A-Jay Leitch-Smith to react quickest and fire the rebound into the net.

A fine performance from the Vics once the first goal had gone in, which coupled with Hanley’s defeat against AFC Wolverhampton City keeps the title race open though Hanley still have the upper hand with their game in hand.
Good to see Will Bentley who has come through the Juniors grab a couple of goals on his full debut but in my view man of the match was Ryan Atkinson with his direct display of attacking down the wings which caused Studley all sorts of problems

NEXT GAMES:

Saturday 4th April 2026 : Vics v Dudley Town 3.00pm
Monday 6th April 2026 : 1874 Northwich v Vics 3.00pm