ROMULUS 2-4 1874 NORTHWICH: THE INDEPENDENT MATCH REPORT + SCREENSHOTS...

 1874 Conquer Depletion To Defeat The Roms…

Romulus 2-4 1874 Northwich

The Mowdog’s thoughts…

This was an engaging contest between Romulus whose individual players showed skill and pace in abundance and Northwich, who created a good deal of effective offense and might have netted more than four goals, yet showed indiscipline on the pitch just prior to half-time and subsequently had to survive the first ten minutes after the interval with two players in the sin-bin…

Chris McCann and Josh Oultram were likely incensed that the caution-happy referee had failed to dish out a yellow card for an opponent’s rash challenge. Words were exchanged, McCann was exiled to the dugout, the free-kick was taken, then Oultram made another complaint and he too was sent away to brood.

The first few minutes post-break when the Roms were having to gird up their loins again to press home their numerical advantage likely helped 1874 to survive being shorthanded but two of their players had also been replaced during half-time and that might have added to the Roms’ hesitancy, for Northwich played out the ten minutes and scored their third goal soon afterwards. Although home striker Chris Uwabor scored with a fine header to make the score 2-3, it was Northwich who dominated from then on. 

Indeed, at 2-4, instead of ‘taking the ball into a corner’ to waste time, the Mauve Maulers actually attacked with more intensity and won several corners, missing a few decent chances in the process. That was commendable and also, of course, a boost for most spectators who remained riveted to the encounter right until the end.  

The Eden Bailey show…

Poacher Bailey was clinical on the day, showing tenacity and anticipation to nab three close range goals. The first was created by Oultram’s right-flank centre which was not cleared by home defender Ethan Green and that allowed Bailey to rush forward and poke a smart goal from 7 yards at the left stick.

0-1...

After the bin had been vacated by the sinners, McCann managed to scramble to the left byeline and his low centre was nudged on by replacement Jack McKean and bundled into the net at the near post by the predatory Bailey, who then settled the contest by latching onto a header by Matt Fenton which dropped into space 5 yards out and he gleefully poked the ball past the despairing Roms’ goalie Lewis Gwilliams who actually made two superb saves during the match… 

1-3...

The opening period…

Despite the threat of Roms’ right-flanker Jeval Thompson-McKenzie, whose control and speed worried both Liam Fitzpatrick and Tom Morris in the 1874 defence, only twice was visiting gloveman Michael Shorthouse really bothered. An equaliser for 1-1 arrived when a long diagonal pass towards the right by McLloyd Oben caused Morris a problem, Thompson-McKenzie fastened onto the ball, rushed forth, turned inside and beat the ‘keeper with a smart low left-booted drive.

1-1...

A fine effort from way downtown by energetic home playmaker Sean Devlin dropped just too late and cleared the crossbeam but despite some neat promptings by midfielders Oben and Maradoche Mipro, most of the time 1874’s Niall Osborne, Mark Jones, Morris, skipper Fenton and Fitzpatrick managed to keep Thompson-McKenzie, Uwabor and left-sider Rob Hanna under some manageable control.

The Mauve Maulers however did threaten on several occasions and when Gwilliams raced out of his penalty-box on one occasion, home skipper Jordan Francis did well to get back and clear, as Bailey’s 35 yard clipped shot headed towards an otherwise empty net.

A second 1874 goal stemmed from a right-side cross by Fenton which bounced away from Morris at the edge of the near 6 yard box, to where Jacson Coppack lurked. He curled a really fine 18 yard effort high into the left corner of the net over the helpless Gwilliams.

COPPACK SHOOTS...

...THE BALL CURLS...

...& IT'S 1-2...

Gwilliams got down at his near upright to block a hard drive by Oultram with his left boot, before a downward Fenton header was clutched by the goalminder. 

GWILLIAMS SAVES FROM OULTRAM...

Then the sinners were binned and half-time arrived with a slight mist gathering and darkness looming over Coles Lane.

After the break for crumpets and Bovril…

1874 had taken off Coppack and forward Amarn Robinson but substitutes McKean and Alfie Foy certainly added some spice to the team’s second period performance. 

When back to eleven, Bailey netted goal three, Mipro looped a header over his own crossbar and a decent effort by McKean didn’t clear the horizontal pole by much. 

Incredibly though, a left-side Roms centre was lunged for at the near post by Uwabor and his header deflected across Shorthouse and into the net for 2-3. The camera I was holding chose that moment to stall and I was just able only to switch it off and on again in time to capture the ball hitting the net. Apologies to Chris Uwabor… 

Home left-back Dan Okojie looped a defensive clearance towards his own goal but with Gwilliams aghast, the ball dropped onto the roof of the net, Bailey scored his third goal and then unmarked substitute Joe Woolley got under a fine left-flank centre by McCann but skied his header.

Three times, Fenton just couldn’t quite get firm connections to headers from set-pieces, Foy’s left-footer from 18 yards was splendidly turned over the target by the leaping Gwilliams who then pushed an angled drive from the left by the busy McKean over his bar.

Roms threatened only a couple of times when Shorthouse fell upon a shot by Uwabor and then Osborne’s inadvertent touch towards his own goal was hacked away from the defensive right post by the alert Morris. 

The final words…

The Roms played skilfully, with Oben and Devlin neat, industrious and productive, whilst of course Thompson-McKenzie’s pace was a first period worry for the visitors, something which was addressed after the break.

The two Bennetts, Cayden and Tristan, came off the bench (if too late, maybe) and proved lively for the Roms, both showing slick control but Uwabor in attack deserved the goal he grabbed for his endeavours, especially after having a goal chalked off for offside during the opening 45. Both full-backs, Cailen Beckford and Okojie were often prominent but despite the effort put in by the hosts, the guests were worthy victors.

The midfield sanity of McCann and Coppack, later Foy and McKean, backed the Marauding Mauveman Oultram and the effervescent Bailey well enough, although Robinson, despite a couple of good defensive interventions, wasn’t able to stamp his authority on the offensive side of his game during the first-half.

Jones was strong alongside Morris and Northwich were well served by both, alongside their leader and skipper, Fenton.

A decent spectacle at gloomy Coles Lane and a welcome New Year gift for the travelling 1874 fans…