THEY almost threw it away.

But Northwich Victoria found a way to win in the most thrilling circumstances and with two unlikely heroes as their saviour.

Substitute Oliver Walker stayed calm to score a stoppage-time winner, while teenage goalkeeper Aiden Whitehead impressed on his debut.

Manager Steve Wilkes hailed them both after his side stopped a three-match losing run by beating opponents with an eye on being promoted this season.

He said: “I’m made up for Olly.

“He’s been out injured for a while and had to be patient once he was fit again, and he showed fantastic composure to put the ball in the back of the net late on.

“Aiden is only 18 and has never played at this level, but he made two brilliant saves at a crucial moment in the game.”

Brian Matthews’ header deflected slightly off a defender, after Adam Lawrence had flicked on at a corner, to put Vics in front on six minutes.

And they doubled their lead shortly before the break when Johnny Gorman lifted the ball over goalkeeper Alex Langridge after Liam Bickett’s pass dissected the visitors’ defence.

The hosts suffered a blow when Kieron Kenny left the field with an injury early in the second-half and captain John Bennett departed too after being taken ill.

Theo Stair then halved Hanley’s arrears when he prodded in from close-range after Whitehead had parried substitute Christoph Aziamale’s shot.

And it was 2-2 four minutes later when Stair swivelled before shooting low into the net from the edge of the six-yard box.

Matthews prompted Langridge to save following Gorman’s assist, and the visitors’ custodian produced his best shortly afterwards to deny Northwich’s leading-scorer and then Walker in quick succession.

Brandon Barski smuggled Aziamele’s shot off the line during an absorbing finale before Gorman’s free-kick struck the woodwork.

Langridge blocked Matthews’ follow-up attempt, then Josh Thorpe diverted Oscar Durnin’s shot to safety.

Walker settled the outcome in the second minute of injury-time, switching the ball from one foot to another before blasting past Langridge after Matthews had teed him up.

Wilkes added: “The lads deserve a pat on the back; they kept going, and never stopped trying to get the winner.

“If it wasn’t for two unbelievable saves by their goalkeeper, then we’d have won more comfortably.

“It was a great win in difficult circumstances, particularly as the pitch deteriorated as the game went on.”

Vics | Whitehead (GK), Grant (Walker 79), Lawrence, Barski, Kenny (Clarke 55), Johnson, Bennett (Willis 60), Gorman, Bickett, Durnin, Matthews Sub not used Shinks Goals Matthews 6, Gorman 48, Walker 90 (+2)

Hanley | Langridge (GK), Faulkner, Price, Thorpe, Bristow (Sheldon 20), Blowers, Skellern, Conlon, Thompson, Stair, Donaldson (Aziamale 51) Subs not used Cawley, Grice, Morton Goals Stair 61, 65 Booked Thorpe, Price

Attendance 108

Additional reporting by Jamie Dewsbury