LINE-UP Vics’ -
Mendes, Kandeke ( Lawson 90+1’), Langley, Davis, Lawton Atkinson (Yussuf 90’), Lloyd (Clarke 84’), Tanswell , Abreu, Cooke (Hamm 87’), Bentley (Leitch-Smith 74’)

Goals :
Northwich Vics : Kandeke 17’, Abreu 24’

Northwich Vics kept up the pressure on current league leaders Hanley Town with an excellent and well deserved win over promotion chasing Dudley Town and in doing so, they have guaranteed 2nd place at least in the League and home advantage in the potential play-offs.
Vics were on it virtually from the first whistle as an excellent ball in from Sean Lawton on the left narrowly evaded the incoming Ryan Atkinson at the far post in the second minute. However Dudley did have a great chance to snatch the lead in the 9th minute as Jordan Davies raced through to strike goal-bound but was denied by a great save from Vics’ keeper Mendes. The impressive Ryan Atkinson then had a shot comfortable saved by Tom Carter but a couple of minutes later , he had no chance as full-back A J Kandeke fired a thunder blaster from distance over his head into the net as the ball came back out to him, his first goal for Vics and what a strike it was! Jefferson Abreu then had a shot cleared from the line with the follow up narrowly put wide by Will Lloyd as Vics pressed for a second. Chances followed for Lloyd again, Sean Cooke and the Harry Davis with a looping header as Vics were playing some top quality football. However, Dudley reminded Vics that they were still dangerous, forcing Mendes into two great saves, the second a super save with his legs as the Dudley striker was through one on one. Vics were then denied a second just before half time as Abreu was thwarted by a last ditch tackle by Pat Wood.
Vics went in at the break one up after controlling large portions of the half thanks to Kandeke’s wonder strike.
Vics quickly took control of the match in the second half with a goal of real quality . Atkinson won a corner for Vics after being slid in by a quality pass by Will Lloyd and an excellent training ground set piece move involving Langley and Cooke led to Abreu calmly firing the ball into the back of the net from 14 yards out. Sean Cooke then nearly caught the Dudley keeper out with a long range lob, but he just managed to get back and tip the ball over the bar. It was all Vics now, and a beautiful Leo Tanswell through ball found Will Bentley one on one with the keeper, but although he got the ball past him, he couldnt quite get the angle on the ball to turn it home. Vics had a strong claim for a penalty in the 63rd minute as a Dudley defender went through the back of Harry Davis who was shielding the ball out for a corner, but the (otherwise excellent) referee was having none of it and just awarded a corner. From the corner , Vics nearly made it three as Bentley flicked the ball the wrong side of the near post. Vics kept pressing as Dudley struggled to get out of their own half, with Vics playing with a real confidence now. Cooke went close with a trade mark free-kick going into the side netting in the 71st minute. Carter in the Dudley net then made two excellent saves to keep the Vics at bay whilst any hope they had of an unlikely come back were diminished by the sin-binning of substitute Abdul Bashiru for the final ten minutes for protesting too much about a foul.
Vics cruised to a comfortable two nil victory with the only slight disappointment is that they didn’t take some of the many chances they created, especially in the second half.

NEXT GAMES:

Monday 6th April 2026 : 1874 Northwich v Vics 3.00pm
Saturday 11th April 2026 : Vics v Coton Green 3.00pm