THERE are few certainties in life, but Mike Brandon scoring for 1874 Northwich is one.

When they’re struggling, he gets them out of a scrape.

This was one such occasion.

Teams tied at 0-0 in terrible conditions, he rifled in an opening goal after Ryan Jackson had caught Danny Hudson dithering in possession inside Winsford’s penalty area.

When the wide man’s driven cross was diverted towards Brandon, he gleefully rapped it past goalkeeper Dale Latham.

It was an episode that highlighted the difference between otherwise evenly-matched rivals.

While Ian Street’s men were streetwise, Lee Duckworth’s young Blues lacked an edge.

They kept the derby alive until stoppage time, during which their tenants scored twice to massage the margin of victory.

Jackson drilled low and decisively after substitute Jack Woolley had pulled a ball back from the touchline before another replacement, former Winsford front man Stuart Wellstead, scampered clear to steer in a third shortly afterwards.

After a sequence of four matches without losing, Winsford have endured a sobering 48 hours.

They lost by the same score against Darwen on Saturday, though this was a much-improved performance.

Their football was more fluid in freezing temperatures, but fleet-footed forward Ryan Mellor fed only on scraps.

He shot too close to Greg Hall after sneaking behind Craig Farnworth on 11 minutes.

1874, with Neil Chappell stationed further forward to accommodate George Riley in midfield, were slow to start.

Chappell clipped a pass in Jackson’s direction, but Adam Bayley blocked bravely the winger’s drive.

Ben Brooks sliced wide after Brandon nudged Riley’s centre into his path, then sent an attempt too close to Duckworth at the near post when a corner fell his way.

Brandon landed his blow in the seconds before the break, while the spell straight afterwards was the hosts’ most promising.

Substitute Sam Cook headed against an upright, while midfielder Alfred Hammond dragged wide when he had a clear sight of goal after Ryan Mitchell lost the ball on the edge of 1874’s box.

Cook then fizzed an effort off-target after a neat exchange with Mellor.

Matthew Ward’s introduction added pep to his side’s attack where previously there had been little, and he ought to have put the game out of Winsford’s reach after robbing Sam Parr.

But he shot too close to Latham when they came face-to-face late on.

Instead Jackson settled the outcome in the first minute of injury time, finishing with force after Woolley wriggled into space.

Wellstead’s goal added gloss, and extended his side’s winning run in battles with Blues to three.

“Brandon might not move very much, but he knows what he’s doing,” rued Duckworth afterwards.

And 1874 are glad of that, more so in the absence of injured Matthew Beadle.

Blues | 4-4-2 | Latham (GK), Seol (Hatton 86), Bayley, Parr, Duckworth, Hudson (Cook 46), Hammond, Rothwell, Taylor, Jones (Johnson 70), Mellor Subs not used Hibbert, Eiselt Booked Hammond, Cook (both fouls), Jones (dissent)

1874 | 4-3-3 | Hall (GK), Connor, Mitchell, Farnworth, Lomas, Riley, Matthew Woolley, Chappell (Ward 55), Jackson, Brandon (Wellstead 84), Brooks (Jack Woolley 75) Subs not used James, Kirk Goals Brandon 45 (+1), Jackson 90 (+1), Wellstead 90 (+4) Booked Matthew Woolley, Farnworth (both fouls)

Referee Alex Gray

Attendance 315