COMPETITION : Cheshire League 2nd Division
DATE - Saturday 9th May 2026
VENUE - Sutton Leisure Centre, St.Helens

LINE-UP Vics’ -
Cecere, Bottril, Hynes F, Biddle, Humphries (Gee 64'), Woodward ( Hatton 24'), Burke, Winifrith, Hynes C, Partington, Doherty ( Conwell 65')

Goals :
Haydock FC : 61'
Northwich Vics : Biddle 5', Partington 45+2'

Well the Reserves did their bit today to keep their promotion hopes alive , but will have to wait until West Didsbury and Chortlon Reserves finish their season. They need to win their final 2 matches to overtake the Vics and gain promotion ahead of them.
Vics started well and went ahead after just 5 minutes when they gained a corner which wasn't cleared well and came out to Arron Biddle 6 yards out at the far post and he hammered in past the keeper to give the Vics a great start in a game they had to win. the match was then fairly end to end, with both teams creating half chances. Luca Partington had a long range shot from an angle just wide of the post after 12 minutes whilst after a corner Conor Hynes curling effort was well saved by the Haydock keeper. It was Vics who were having the best of it though and Max Hatton went close a couple of times before Vics went further ahead in the second minute of added time in the first half. A long throw by Finlay Hynes was flicked on by Bailey Burke, and there was Luca Partington to loop a header over the keeper into the net to give Vics a 2 goal cushion going in at the break.
The second half proved to be a different affair with Haydock dominating and pressing Vics back most of the time though hardly testing Rocco Cecere in the Vics' net to be fair. Haydock did manage to get one back after 61 minutes when Vics failed to clear a corner well allowing them to score with a well placed shot into the corner. The pressure was on now, the nerves were mounting but the defence were holding firm. Cercere tipped over a curling corner which was heading in after 73 minutes but that was about as close as haddock were to come to an equaliser even though Vics were struggling to keep hold of the ball and under almost constant pressure. It was somewhat of a relief when the referee finally blew for time after somehow adding 6 minutes on for added on time.
A nervous wait for the score to come through from West Didsbury followed, but was somewhat of an anti-climax as we learnt that their match had been abandoned due to an injury. The wait continues to find out whether promotion has been achieved !
Whatever happens, it's been a magnificent season for the Reserves and they should be proud of what they have achieved in the first season in the Cheshire League. Well done lads