MATTHEW Ward’s winner with time running out secured maximum points for 1874 Northwich on Saturday from a match they fell behind in on three occasions.

The attacker kept calm after reacting quickest to a rebound from his initial shot, holding off the attention of a group of defenders to first with power into the net.

Such an outcome will have felt far away in the third minute when Richard Seear stepped around 1874 goalkeeper Matthew Conkie to open the scoring.

Stuart Wellstead prompted the hosts’ custodian to save smartly from Ryan Jackson’s cross, then the latter’s shirt was pulled on his next raid into the penalty area.

Matthew Beadle’s resulting spot kick was saved, but the ball was diverted into his own net by a Blackpool player when the rebound was fired in his direction.

Beadle then teed up Jackson, who sliced his shot off target.

Blackpool restored their advantage on 26 minutes, this time Aaron Fleming blasting a loose ball over the line after 1874 had failed to clear.

It was 2-2 though four minutes before the break.

Jackson’s corner reached Beadle at the back post, and his finish was characteristically ruthless.

However the home team edged ahead for a third time five minutes into the second half, Seear finishing smartly after a scuffed effort from a teammate had fallen kindly into his path.

But as they had done against Bootle a fortnight earlier, Ian Street’s men recovered a third time when Ryan Stewart dived to meet Wellstead’s cross from the right with a thumping header.

Paul Bowyer, standing in for the absent manager, then sent on Mike Brandon as a substitute to bolster the visitors’ attack.

And their persistence paid off with three minutes left, when Ward’s determination delivered a match-clinching fourth goal.

1874 | Conkie (GK), Connor, James, Thomas, Lomas, Stewart, Wellstead (Brandon 76), Woolley, Beadle, Ward, Jackson Subs not used McNichol, Mason, Tulloch, Bowyer Goals Own goal 11, Beadle 41, Stewart 65, Ward 87 Booked Connor, Ward, Brandon

Additional reporting by Jack Owen