NORTHWICH VICS 2 BARNOLDSWICK T 1
COMPETITION -NWC Premier Division
DATE - Saturday 2nd April 2022.
VENUE - Wincham Park, Northwich
LINE-UP Vics’ -
Cheetham, Clarke, Barski, Bembo-Leta, Owen, Jackson ( Mather 75’) , Dunn, Sephton, Martin, Dudley, Birchall
Un-used subs’ - Allen, Roberts, Butterworth

Goals :

Vics : Jackson 28’, Sephton 56’
Barnoldswick T : Hill 88'

Vics made it 4 wins on the trot with an impressive display against Barnoldswick Town , and end the season in 5th position in the League.

The first half proved to be an entertaining end to end affair with both teams forcing several corners in the first 15 minutes. but neither team could make one of them count. Vics had the first real chance in the 17th minute as a long throw from Matty Clarke was headed wide by Sephton. 5 minutes later, a long kick by Cheetham found Matty Birchall down the right who put in a great cross, and Matt Dudley beat Town’s keeper Jordan Gidley to the ball but headed just wide. Chigwaro for Town then had a shot easily saved by Cheetham before Vics took the lead in the 28th minute. Liam Martin cleverly beat his man down the left, looked up and laid the ball across the box to Matt Dudley, who touched the ball back perfectly for Martyn Jackson to strike a sweet low shot into the bottom left corner of the net. Town's best chance to equalise came in the 34th minute as a corner was swung in by Ben Ashton and Gareth Hill put his header just over the bar. The rest of the half was seen out without undue alarm for Vics.

Half time : Northwich Vics 1 Barnoldswick T 0

Vics extended their lead in the 56th minute with the best move of the match as Dudley and Ash Dunn interchanged passes on the right of the box, allowing Dudley time to pass low and hard across the box for Luke Sephton to side foot home from 2 yards out. From this point it was virtually all Vics as they played some bright attacking football. Another fine passing move in the 59th minute involving Jackson, Birchall and Dudley led to Liam Martin driving down the right before cutting in and just curling his shot wide of the far post. 6 minutes later, a fine through ball by the impressive Dudley found Matty Birchall who fired his shot wide of the left post. 69 minutes in and another attack by Vics as a defensive header fell to the onrushing Liam Martin 30 yards out who smashed a great shot which was heading for the top corner , but Gidley pulled off a top drawer save to deny him. The next minute, another great move, this time involving Jackson, Dudley and Martin led to Martin laying the ball back across the penalty box for Matty Birchall to strike a shot high over the bar. when he should have done better. Barnoldswick did sneak a goal back in the 88th minute as Vics conceded a free kick 28 yards out which Gareth Hill drove into the net with the help of the near post under the diving Cheetham.

FULL-TIME : Northwich Vics 2 Barnoldswick T 1

A top class performance from the Vics , especially in the second half which ultimately saw them finish the season in a creditable fifth position