Vics were 2 down in the first 15 minutes despite nearly scoring themselves in the first minute as Kieron Hamm received the ball in the box from a Ben Crane cross, turned well, but his goal bound shot was well blocked and cleared away. Stone immediately went up the other end, and Vics gave away a very cheap corner which was sent into the box where Luke Askey was left unmarked and headed easily past Parkes to give Stone an early lead. Vics tried to strike back quickly, and the impressive Ben Crane fired a shot just over the bar whilst Hamm did well to get on the end of a lofted ball and slam a shot from a tight angle which forced Gill in the Stone net into a great save. However things got worse for Vics in the 14th minute as a ball was put into the box, Parkes and Bowater collided as Parkes cleared the ball, Bowater fell to the ground and the referee gave a penalty! Matt Thomas stepped up and beat Parkes to his right.
From this point, it was Vics doing most of the pressing and forcing Gill in the Stone net into 3 or 4 useful saves from shots. The best chance fell to Kieron Hamm in the 31st minute as a Matty Clarke shot fell to him in the box and his instinctive strike was well saved by Gill. Stone’s only chance came just before half time from an acrobatic overhead shot by Bowater over the bar.

HALF-TIME : Stone OA 2 Northwich Vics 0

Vics got off to the best possible start to the second half as Joe Hurst did well down the left, dribbled into the box twisting his man inside out, got to the byline and laid the ball back, the initial shot was well blocked but the rebound fell to Blerti Jacaj who fired home for his first Northwich goal. It was all Vics now, and they should have equalised in the 59th minute when the ball fell to debutant Sam Deering 12 yards out in the middle of the box, but he placed his shot just over the bar with just the keeper to beat. Chances then became fewer despite Vics still dominating with just a Tom Johnson header testing Gill in the Stone goal and with time running out, Vics went into self destruct mode . The ball was cleared out of the Stone area, and found Tomlinson just inside the Vics’ half , he looked up, saw Parkes way off his line and in no mans land, and fired a shot into the net from 45 yards out. Match all over.

FULL-TIME : Stone OA 3 Northwich Vics 1

Another frustrating afternoon, no faulting the effort and determination of the Vics but early individual errors made it an uphill task for them. Least said about the referee the better, hopeless for both teams !

Next Match :
Saturday 1st February Home v Atherstone Town 3.00pm