1874 NORTHWICH have beaten Cammell Laird every time the teams have met, although Tuesday’s winning margin was the widest yet.

The hosts’ reward is a share of the lead – on points, if not goal difference – at the Premier Division summit.

Their in-form front men again did the damage.

Ian Street’s side has scored 24 times in all competitions this term, and an attacking trident of Tom Bailey, Sam Hind and Scott McGowan have contributed 21.

Hind was first to trouble the scorers at Barton Stadium, heading in a loose ball after Laird goalkeeper Ben Morrow had palmed Bailey’s initial attempt.

A second goal followed quickly, this time when McGowan finished smartly on the turn.

McGowan ought to have hit the net again when meeting Stuart Wellstead’s cross, only to head high when well-placed.

Mark Jones, filling in as a central defender in the absence of Craig Farnworth and Danny Thomas, was denied by a defender’s goal-line clearance after meeting Wellstead’s corner.

A third goal duly arrived when Bailey steered in a smart finish from the edge of the penalty area after swapping passes with McGowan.

Tom Hackett and Paul Carney, making his debut, tried their luck from long range early in the second period.

However the visitors’ task became harder when Hackett was sent off as punishment for a tackle on 1874 captain Matthew Woolley.

Indeed, the home team added to their tally five minutes later when McGowan’s poked attempt was ruled to have crossed the line by the referee’s assistant.

Substitute Jack Woolley made Laird’s custodian block with his legs before Hind added gloss with a rising shot into the top corner after Jones started an attack by bringing the ball out of defence.

1874 | Hall (GK), Connor, Matthew Russell (James 84), Mitchell, Jones, Chappell, Wellstead (Rick Bailey 67), Matthew Woolley, Tom Bailey (Jack Woolley 80), McGowan, Hind Sub not used Middleton Goals Hind 12, 89 McGowan 15, 76 Tom Bailey 38

Laird | Morrow (GK) (Mullen GK 61), Rooney, Carney, Byrne, Dodd, Sturtz, Hayes, Lomax, Hackett, Chui (Milne 68), Alex Russell (Edgar 80) Subs not used Prince, Boardman Sent off Hackett

Referee Conor Brown

Attendance 218

Additional reporting by Jack Owen