Corby 1 Vics 0 (From Northwich Guardian)

Northwich Victoria dominate, but Corby Town pinch the points

9:13pm Saturday 5th September 2009 in Match reports By Andrew Simpson

SELDOM should a team feel lifted by a loss.

But Northwich Victoria – often an exception to the rule – can take solace from the fact that their trip to Corby was, metaphorically at least, not pointless.

“We annihilated them,” said manager Andy Preece at full time.

“We peppered their goal pretty much from the first minute.”

He is mostly right.

No doubt he will point to profligacy as the main culprit, but the hosts’ backline were resolute in defence.

Three times they stopped certain goals by having a player placed on the goalline at set pieces, while keeper Mark Osborn was value for his clean sheet.

Predictably the Steelmen punished their guests.

Sub Mark Stallard was the man to pinch the prized points, steering fellow replacement Joe Francis’ cross into an empty net after Steve Towers had split Vics’ defence with a precise pass.

There was time enough for Jonny Allan, guilty of missing one of Vics’ best chances before the break, to crack a free kick against the crossbar.

Mat Bailey smashed as shot against Phil Gulliver too, but Northwich’s score remained stuck on nil.

Preece recalled Ian Herring to shield his backline and, despite a wobbly start by keeper James Spencer, his team dominated the opening exchanges.

Michael Connor missed a simpler chance than Allan’s on the quarter hour when he reacted quickets to Corby’s first goalline clearance – David Deeney blocked Bailey’s header on the line – only to blaze wildly off target with the goal at his mercy.

The former Woodley midfielder traded passes with Mike Aspin soon afterwards, providing Allan with the chance to spin clear of his marker with his first touch only to drill a shot wide with his second.

His reaction suggested he knew he should have made Osborn work.

He tipped over Mark Danks’ flick header on 35 minutes then, from the resulting corner, Simon Grand’s header was smuggled clear by Paul Mayo next to the post.

The pattern did not deviate in the second half.

Corby fired a warning though, Francis leaving Aspin in his wake before forcing Spencer to smother smartly as he raced in on goal.

Vics reacted, Gulliver’s toe diverting Connor’s cross away from Allan as he shaped to shoot, then Osborn beat Vics’ marksman to the ball after Grand’s deft touch had sent him clear.

Bailey’s header, from Lee Elam’s corner, forced Osborn to scoop the ball over the bar before Grand narrowly failed to divert Herring’s looping header pas the hosts’ custodian from point-blank range.

Corby’s shot-stopper saved his best moment until 74 minutes, pawing Aspin’s cross-shot to safety as Allan and Danks closed in.

Grand’s speculative overhead kick, again from a set piece, was headed to safety from underneath the bar by Mayo as Vics continued to press.

Stallard popped up a minute later to score the winner, applying the finishing touch to Corby’s best move of the match. It banished memories of back-to-back defeats for the league newcomers.

Vics should remember their performance, not the result.

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Corby (4-4-2) Osborn (GK), Deeney, Gulliver, Hope, Mayo, Solkhon, Strachan, Towers, Diggin (Turner 76), Lee (Stallard 64), Mettam (Francis 55)
Subs not used Jaszczun, Watt
Booked Deeney (foul), Strachan (pushing), Stallard (retaliation)
strong>Goal Stallard 80

Vics (4-3-3) Spencer (GK), Aspin, Bailey, Grand, Junior Brown, D’Laryrea, Herring (Riley 83), Connor, Elam (Burns 87), Allan, Danks
Subs not used Aspden (GK), Kerr, Winter
Booked Danks (pushing), Grand (foul)

Referee Andy Newbold (Loughborough)
Attendance 404