Town leave it too late to save game at Northwich

TOWN suffered a disappointing away defeat in a North West Counties League Premier Division clash which saw them outplayed for much of the game.

Liam Britton and Harry Thompson both returned from injury while Arley Barnes was on the substitutes' bench after suspension.

Town's goalkeeper Jordan Gidley was soon in action as he kept out a shot from Ryan Jackson.

Paul Connor the Northwich right back earned himself a yellow card in the 11th minute when he handled the ball for the second time in as many minutes.

From the free kick the ball was headed on by Shaun Airey to John Beckwith whose header appeared to hit the post and rebound into play but the linesman flagged for offside.

Northwich were looking the more dangerous of the two teams and took the lead in the 14th minute. A fierce cross on the Town right was allowed to go across the face of the goal to the far post where the unmarked Mike Brandon cracked the ball into the roof of the net.

Northwich looked like scoring in every attack, the Town defence guilty of not closing the midfield runners down. Matthew Beadle shot from the corner of the Town penalty area on 20 minutes but watched as the ball skipped inches wide of the far post.

Three minutes later a Northwich free kick was headed on behind the Town defence to Stewart Wellstead but the advancing Gidley forced him to shoot wide.

Town’s best chance of the half fell to James Crorken who shot over the bar from Beckwith's cross.

Town went into the interval a goal behind and probably thankful it wasn’t more.

On the hour mark Northwich won a corner on the Town right which Gidley elected to punch. The ball fell to Beadle whose low shot was cleared off the line by Carl Ellerton.

Two minutes later Northwich did increase their lead. A cross from the Town right saw Beadle slide the ball across Gidley into the far corner.

Town made a double substitution in the 67th minute. Shaun Airey, who had picked up a trapped nerve neck injury in the first half, was replaced by Jake McEneaney and Thomas Henderson.

Northwich continued to press and but for a magnificent tackle by Chris Ridehalgh on Jackson, Northwich would surely have notched a third goal.

Ben Gorman went close when he chased a long ball through the Northwich defence before Matt Conkie in the Northwich goal just managed to take the ball off his head on the edge of his penalty area.

A minute later a Town corner saw the ball run loose to Ridehalgh inside the penalty area, his shot was charged down to safety. Town then made their last substitution with Dalton Hutchison replacing Harry Thompson.

Town did manage to pull a goal back with two minutes remaining. A corner wasn’t cleared and Henderson cracked a shot low just inside the right hand post.

This seemed to panic the Northwich and Town launched a late bid to save the game.

From a corner the ball fell to Ellerton at the far post and his shot looked to be sneaking in at the far post until Connor stuck a leg out and diverted it for another corner.

It was the last chance on an afternoon when Town didn't find any attacking rhythm until it was too late.