Saturday 11th October 2008
Vics 2 v 0 Grays Athletic

Football continues to produce inexplicable ironies and the second contest of the current season between these two clubs only confirmed that to be the case. In their previous encounter Vics had been the better team but succumbed to two long range strikes in what had otherwise been a fairly dour game. Similarly this contest barely rose above very mediocre fayre and a clear winner looked unlikely until a long distance strike from Matty Crowell and an accomplished finish from substitute Darryn Stamp secured maximum points that this time Vics had barely earned.

Similarly we have been beaten when we deserved to have gained some reward and therefore it would be churlish not to make the most of a vital win.

Caretaker boss Mike Marsh kept faith with the starting eleven that had done well against Kidderminster while finding a place on the bench for former Cambridge, Leicester, Coventry and Hereford Jamaican International striker Trevor Benjamin.

After Crowell and Mullan had slickly engineered an opening that Burns almost converted at the near post, play all too quickly became predictable and tedious. An irrational reliance on the long ball by both sides provided an unedifying spectacle and a shot from Byrne, that was at least within the vicinity of the opposition goal, provided scant respite.

The second half opened with far more promise and, after an important headed clearance by Brown effectively dealt with a first threat for the home defence, Grand guided a header from a set piece wide of the exposed Grays keeper but also agonisingly wide of the vacant goal. A Crowell left foot strike barely cleared the bar and Vics looked set to take control. Yet that initiative disappeared just as dramatically as it had appeared and they could have fell behind had Sloma taken advantage of an opportunity that was presented to him and the visitors lacked the quality to capitalise on two other half chances that fell to them during this isolated dominance.

As it was Vics substitute Benjamin used his wiles to win a free kick 25 yards from goal. Byrom pulled the kick back to CROWELL and he drilled a 30 yard shot that found the net with the help of a slight deflection. The goal appeared to settle Northwich's nerves and Stamp went close with a lob that defeated the advancing Button but landed inches over an unguarded goal. Benjamin again got himself between the defender and the ball to win a free kick. On this occasiion Byrom aimed for the far post and STAMP scored from a copy book header. With maximum points finally secured, Vics fans were able to celebrate a second win of the season while considering that they have seen them play better and lose. But whose complaining?

Team: 4-4-2
Tynan /
Aspin, Roberts, Grand, Brown /
Mullan (Stamp 66), Crowell, Byrom, Byrne (Flynn 46) /
Allan, Burns (Benjamin 55) /
Subs not used: Jones & Welch
Referee: R.J. Madley
Attend: 579
Man of the Match: Matty Crowell - One of those players whose contribution is often under recognised. Stuck to his task today, especially during Vics' more difficult periods, and was rewarded with a goal.