LINE-UP Vics’ -
Mendes, Lawson (Jackson R 87’), Jackson L, Keogh, Sutton ( Nugent 87’), Rokka (Atkinson 64’), Lloyd, Clarke, Whyte ( Tanswell 77’), Duckworth (Bentley 87’), Birchall

Goals : Northwich Vics : Lawson 22’, Rokka 44’, Duckworth 87’, Atkinson 90+2’

Vics took the honours in this Mid-Cheshire derby with a convincing all-round performance culminating in a 4-0 victory and are yet to concede a goal during their 6 matches so far this season.
Vics actually started the match slowly and Winsford were the better team for the first 15 minutes or so and had a couple of half chances without looking really dangerous. Vics were growing in to the match however and had the first real chance in the 17th minute when Mikey Lawson went down the right and pulled the ball back across, but no-one could get enough on the ball to steer it into the net. Harvey Whyte then shot just wide before Vics earned a corner in the 21st minute. It was only half cleared by Winsford for Andy Keogh to head back into the box where Lawson brilliantly hooked the ball past Ryan Brown in the Winsford net to give the Vics the lead. This should have been a fairly short lived lead as in the 26th minute, Winsford’s O’Mara was put through one on one with Mendes in the Vics net, but Mendes came up with a super save to maintain Vics’ slender lead. The match then exploded as Vics striker Matty Birchall took exception to a challenge from the Winsford keeper and the situation quickly turned into a handbags situation with lots of pushing and shoving involved. After a very long consultation between the Referee and his 2 Assistants, it ended up with red cards being shown to Birchall and Winsford’s Steve Jenyons for their actions. This led to a quiet period before in the 44th minute , Elliott Rokka took advantage of a terrible mixup between Winsford’s keeper and his defence which allowed Rokka to slam into an empty net. During the nine minutes of additional time added on by the Referee for the sending offs incident, Vics nearly got a third as Duckworth and Sutton linked up well down the left but Sutton’s shot was well saved by Brown.

HALF TIME : Winsford Utd 0 Northwich Vics 2

The second half saw Vics generally control the match, as they stayed firm and solid at the back and looked dangerous every time they went forward. Winsford had a shot comfortably saved by Mendes early on in the half before Vics should have made the game safe in the 57th minute when Rokka was sent through one on one but Brown saved well with his legs. Winsford did have the ball in Vics’ net in the 67th minute through Danny Guiver but the flag had already gone up for offside well before. Vics were still comfortable and should have had a penalty in the 77th minute when Ryan Atkinson was taken out by the keeper after he had got to the ball first, but the referee waved play on! Winsford were getting desperate now and gaps were opening up at the back as they pressed forward. Will Lloyd fired in a shot from the edge of the area which Brown in the Winsford net could only parry out but he did brilliantly to deny Atkinson’s follow up shot. Vics finally made the game safe in the 83rd minute as Joe Duckworth raced onto a ball over the top and finished clinically to make it 3 - 0. It was all Vics now, with Atkinson again denied by Brown before handbags broke out again which ended up with Matty Clarke getting a yellow along with Winsford’s Harry Johnson for whom it was his second of the match , and he was duly shown a red. Ryan Atkinson finally got the goal he deserved in the 2nd minute of additional time when he was put in by an excellent dinked ball from Ryan Jackson and he made no mistake with a powerful shot from an angle giving Brown no chance. There was still time for Atkinson to shoot narrowly wide whilst Will Bentley went close right at the end.

FULL TIME : Winsford Utd 0 Northwich Vics 4

An excellent all-round hard-working team performance from the Vics showing resolute defending and some clinical finishing which now sets the standard for the rest of the season. Special mention to my Man of the Match, Mikey Lawson who never put a foot wrong in both defence and attack down the right showing matureness beyond his years.

NEXT MATCHES :

SUNDAY 23rd August 2026 : FA Cup : Northwich Vics v Bootle