1874 NORTHWICH are relieved they don’t have to visit Brantingham Road again for a while.

They remain winless and, after missing a penalty and losing leading scorer Matthew Beadle to an injury, luckless there too.

A repeat of last season’s top-three finish appears increasingly unlikely.

Maine Road took the lead inside five minutes, when Connor Hughes stroked in an opening goal after Danny Thomas had diverted new recruit Tyler Edwards’ cross into the attacker’s path.

The visitors responded quickly, and Beadle sent a volley past goalkeeper Ryan Livesey from the edge of the penalty area following Ben Brooks’ flick on.

Hughes put the hosts in front again after quarter of an hour, shooting with enough power to beat Greg Hall after the 1874 net-minder had saved his two previous attempts.

After an unsuccessful appeal by the away team for a penalty when Beadle tumbled in the area, Hughes almost completed a first-half treble when he latched onto Thomas’ weak back-pass.

However he lifted his shot over the bar.

1874 were awarded a spot kick before the break following a foul on Mike Brandon, only for Beadle’s free hit to be parried by Livesey after the forward paused during his run-up.

Curiously, Ian Street’s men fluffed two penalties in last season’s corresponding fixture.

A second equaliser did arrive four minutes into the second half, when Beadle finished expertly after reaching Ryan Jackson’s lofted pass.

The visitors assumed control, and Brandon, Neil Chappell and Jackson each had glimpses of goal.

Maine Road served a warning though when Hughes was inches from converting Rory Breslin’s cross at the far post.

And they edged ahead at 3-2 on 80 minutes, this time when Edwards was fastest to a rebound after Hall had saved Hughes’ shot.

The debutant added gloss to his performance shortly afterwards, skipping past Paul Connor and then Ryan Mitchell before blasting in a fourth goal for the victors.

1874 | Hall (GK), Connor, James, Mitchell, Thomas, Chappell, Brooks (Jack Woolley 81), Brandon, Beadle (Riley 89), Ward, Jackson (Wellstead 75) Subs not used Kirk, Lomas Goals Beadle 10, 49

Attendance 210

Additional reporting by Jack Owen