THEY were never comfortable nor for the most part convincing but 1874 Northwich still won.

Daley Woods’ unexpected return last week has brought with it decisive goals, including the one that separated the hosts from opponents that defended diligently.

Ian Street will be relieved to safely navigate a way to victory, one that extends his side’s unbeaten run in the Premier Division to a dozen matches.

All but one of those has yielded maximum points.

1874 conjured a moment of quality to break through five minutes before the break when Matthew Woolley, spotting Woods in space, took quickly a free kick.

Clear on goal, the forward shot with enough power to beat goalkeeper Steven Dryden.

Street had been forced to shuffle his starting line-up after attacking duo Matthew Ward and Matthew Beadle were delayed by traffic and arrived late.

The home team started tardily too.

They might have trailed as well, but Alsager’s leading scorer Michael Blundell was unlucky to see his attempt strike the outside of a post. 

1874 posed a threat from set pieces, and Ryan Mitchell could not control a header from Woods’ corner shortly afterwards.

Woolley, after the Bullets had toiled to clear another cross, forced Dryden to save smartly low to his left.

Alsager could claim to have deserved more than a draw when the teams met in August, and they were similarly stubborn foes again.

Woods’ driven centre was hit too strongly for Neil Chappell to divert it goal-wards, then the former headed weakly when Michael Brandon sent a looping cross in his direction.

Woods fared better when Woolley’s pass put him through, and Lee Duckworth ought to have doubled the lead when he skewed wide Paul Connor’s assist from the right.

Alsager almost made them pay on 58 minutes, but Matthew Conkie raced from his line to smother Steven Hughes’ shot after Shane Reaney’s reverse pass had created an opening.

It was a reminder that 1874’s lead was a slender one

Chappell split the defence to find Woods, but his finish was feeble.

The midfielder tried to score himself on 66 minutes, but Dryden blocked his close range header with an instinctive jab of a boot.

His next save was more conventional, clawing to safety Beadle’s skidding header from Duckworth’s corner.

Another miraculous stop denied the substitute when he seemed certain to score.

But while the gap between the teams was a single goal, Alsager had a chance.

They raided down the right in injury time, but Blundell’s blasted cross had too much pace for a teammate to reach.

A draw would have been more than they merited, no matter how far from their best 1874 had performed.

1874 (3-5-2) Conkie (GK), Mitchell, McGrath, Thomas, Connor, Woolley, Gill (Ward 25), Chappell, Duckworth, Woods (Beadle 66), Brandon (Wellstead 86) Subs not used Stewart, Tandy Goal Woods 40 Booked Chappell (foul), Ward (ungentlemanly conduct)

Alsager (4-4-2) Dryden (GK), Elcock, Haughton, Lee, Chadwick, Prince, Heler, Wintle (Simcock 85), Reaney, Hughes (Evans 72), Blundell Sub not used Ford Booked Chadwick, Lee (both fouls), Reaney (retaliation)

Referee Alan Clayton (Hyde)

Attendance 288