WHEN the final whistle blew, Ian Street puffed out his cheeks and furrowed his brow.

His side had swept aside visitors Squires Gate by half time to make safe maximum points from their first league match of a new term.

Out of sight, 1874 Northwich players were told they have to perform better next time.

A goal by the away team, during their best spell after the break, would have been a bump in the road to an otherwise straightforward victory.

One did not arrive, nor did it look likely too, but Street is setting a higher standard this season. 

“I’m not happy and I’ve told them that,” he said.

“We switched off totally. If they’d have nicked one, there might have been panic stations.”

Instead 1874 picked up where they had left off in April, particularly in the first half.

There were four debutants, but the energy and determination to seize the initiative were familiar.

They led 2-0 at the interval thanks to goals from Danny Thomas and Aidan Haughton, one of the new recruits, and Gate could not have grumbled had the gap between the teams been wider.

Haughton, after an initial attempt was blocked by a defender, prompted goalkeeper Ben Fletcher to save low to his left.

He fizzed another attempt across the face of goal, while Ryan Jackson’s header – from Paul Connor’s cross – lacked the direction to cause Fletcher to fret.

Chris Anderson had visitors’ first shot on target after half an hour, but custodian Matthew Conkie caught his weak attempt.

Thomas opened the scoring after 34 minutes when he used the speed of Matthew Ward’s in-swinging corner to skim a header past a defender stationed to protect the far post.

A second followed shortly afterwards, this time Haughton held off two feeble attempted tackles before blasting past a static Fletcher.

Gate’s well-drilled defence, after resisting long periods of pressure, looked flimsy for the first time.

They posted more of an attacking threat later, but were too often wasteful.

Josh Kay scampered clear of Louis James on the right, then was greedy to shot from an acute angle when a furious Mark Buchan was better placed.

Billy McKenna steered an effort narrowly over from Buchan’s lay-off, while at the other end Fletcher was courageous to smother Ryan Jackson’s shot after Hill had flicked on.

Hill could not convert following fine approach play by Haughton on 69 minutes, then McKenna’s dribble ended with Conkie saving comfortably.

Gate’s best chance arrived with two minutes left, substitute Terry Cummings prodding off target after winning a foot-race to reach fellow replacement Nathan Trout’s pass.

Invited to grade his side’s display, Street replied: “Five out of 10, zero for the second half.”

After collecting three points against opponents who finished in the top six last season, and with five likely starters unavailable to play, 1874 are heading in the right direction.

1874 | 4-2-3-1 | Conkie (GK), Connor, Thomas, Lomas, James, Woolley, Chappell, Hill (Ledwards 82), Ward, Jackson (Everall 76), Haughton (Brandon 71) Subs not used McNichol, Tulloch Goals Thomas 34, Haughton 43 Booked Connor (foul)

Gate | 4-4-2 | Fletcher (GK), Richards, Westwood, Benjamin, Anderson, Kay (Cummings 74), Hall, Penswick, Ferguson (Rowley 56), McKenna (Trout 86), Buchan Subs not used none Booked Kay (ungentlemanly conduct)

Referee Alex Kirkley

Attendance 293