AFTER last season, perhaps Congleton should have seen it coming.
The Bears led 4-1 after an hour of last season’s corresponding fixture, and didn’t win.
Their advantage over 1874 Northwich was worth two goals after 60 minutes this time around and, again, they missed out.
Sam Hind’s hat-trick followed manager Ian Street’s decision to throw on an extra attacker – former Town striker Scott McGowan – in a pulsating Premier Division opener.
The prospect of such a turnaround will have felt remote at the interval.
Declan Fletcher drilled low past goalkeeper Greg Hall to put the home team in front after half an hour, a total they doubled before the break when Brian Matthews converted a penalty.
Hall then blocked Matthews’ close-range attempt early in the second period to prevent his side falling further behind.
Street sent on McGowan for Ryan Mitchell, switching to a three-man defence.
His impact was almost immediate, slipping a pass into Tom Bailey’s path.
And when goalkeeper Mike Dixon could not hold on to the front man’s shot, Hind helped the loose ball over the line.
An equalizer arrived on 74 minutes when Hind was again alert to score after Congleton’s defence failed to clear Eddie Moran’s corner.
Another replacement, Rick Bailey, then supplied a cross from which Hind headed a third goal eight minutes from time.
A remarkable recovery was complete with time running out when McGowan, who netted a hat-trick in last term’s thrilling draw, swept in from close range.
Congleton | Dixon (GK), Pritchard, Blair, Whiteoak, Alston (Baker 38), Read (Gardner 85), Koral, Scott Septon, Fletcher, Matthews, Marshall (Kirby 66) Subs not used Luke Sephton, Highton Goals Fletcher 30, Matthews 43 (penalty) Booked Matthews
1874 | Hall (GK), Connor, Russell, Mitchell (McGowan 60), Thomas, Chappell, Wellstead, Matthew Woolley (Rick Bailey 80), Tom Bailey, Hind, Moran Subs not used Kirk, Welsh, Jack Woolley Goals Hind 66, 74, 82 McGowan 89
Referee Wade Smith
Attendance 275
Additional reporting by Garry Clarke
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