1874 NORTHWICH ended this contest with Matthew Woolley, their captain, playing in goal and still without a victory this season.

Goalkeeper Matthew Green’s dismissal shortly after the hour, with the visitors trailing 1-0 and after he had hauled down Brett Dawson to concede a penalty, was a point of no return.

Dawson’s spot-kick crept in despite Woolley getting a glove on the ball, and Gate closed ranks.

They added gloss in the last minute when substitute Finley Clarkson was first to a rebound after Woolley had parried an initial attempt by Joey Mullen – another replacement.

A bright start by the visitors felt a long time ago by then.

They were unlucky when Mark Jones’ header struck the crossbar before Matthew Beadle failed to hit the target when the ball landed in his path.

Debutant Hyuga Tanner, recruited on loan from Bamber Bridge, curled an attempt wide when the home team attacked.

Beadle did find the net, but from an offside position, before Green tipped over Andrew Richards’ free-kick at the other end of the field.

As has become custom during a difficult opening to the campaign, 1874 gifted to their opponents an opening goal five minutes after the restart.

Green, flustered by a weak back-pass, hurried a clearance straight to Ryan Charnley who rolled the ball into an empty net.

A second goal followed when Dawson converted a penalty after referee Ian Gittins had shown a red card to Green for deliberate attempt to stop his forward progress without going for the ball.

The visitors’ mood wasn’t helped by Gittins turning down their appeals for a penalty when they felt a Gate defender had handled.

Substitute Sam Freakes called custodian Ben Fletcher into action before Clarkson added to his side’s advantage with time running out.

Gate | Fletcher (GK), Gray, Richards, Kay, Reader, Rossall, Boyd, Tanner, Dawson (Clarkson 80), Charnley (Mullen 80), Riley (Bradley Jones 73) Subs not used Salthouse, Bamba Goals Charnley 50, Dawson 64 (penalty), Clarkson 90 Booked Fletcher, Tanner

1874 | Green (GK), Tucker, Lee Jackson, Pritchard, Mitchell, Mark Jones, Joe Woolley, Matthew Woolley, Beadle (Gardner 57), Waite-Jackson (Freakes 57), Kennerley Subs not used Connor, Russell, McGowan Booked Kennerley (foul) Sent off Green (foul)

Referee Ian Gittins

Attendance 140