NORTHWICH Victoria continue to pick up points on their travels.

This latest victory from Ryan Wade’s stunning strike is Vics’ 11th from 15 matches on the road – more than any of their rivals to date.

Worksop dominated, especially after the break, but too often their shooting went awry.

When it did not, then Ben Hinchliffe’s hands got in the way.

The Tigers have beaten Northwich only once since 1979 – a 2-0 success in the same fixture last term – and fortune did not favour them this time around.

After shipping 11 goals in their past four matches, the visitors will be happy to have shut out their opponents.

Chris Wood sent his header too high on 20 minutes from Mark Hudson’s free kick, awarded after Vics skipper Ian Kearney had cut off Jamie Jackson’s route to goal.

Jackson could not keep down an effort after Craig King had headed in his direction a quarter hour later.

The home team put together the move of the match three minutes before the break, Hudson and Lee Beeson combining down the right to put Luke Sharry in a shooting space.

But his curler scraped the far post.

Wade showed Worksop how it should be done with Vics’ first shot on target.

David Fitzpatrick’s free kick looped to him on the edge of the box, and the former Skelmersdale attacker speared a first time volley past keeper Jon Worsnop before the custodian could react.

The execution was excellent, the timing even better.

Worksop were better than their guests again after the interval, Tom Field smuggling off the line Luke Shiels’ header nine minutes after the restart.

Hinchliffe’s intervention on the hour was as good as a goal for Northwich.

Sharry sent substitute Massiah McDonald into space behind Fitzpatrick, his rolled cross acting as an invitation to score for Hudson.

His connection was firm but Hinchliffe’s instinctive save, diving to his left, took the breath away.

Worksop continued to push forward, replacement Ashley Burbeary – so often a thorn in Vics’ side in the past – flicked a pass into McDonald’s path on 77 minutes.

His finish was feeble though.

The visitors could have landed a knockout blow from their next foray forward, but substitute Michael Clarke shot straight at Worsnop when the two came face-to-face.

It marked his team’s second shot on target.

Hinchliffe was decisive again in stoppage time, blocking at close range Wood’s improvised shot from Burbeary’s flag kick.

Chester’s win at Frickley, plus wins for the other four teams in the table’s top six, made the custodian’s contribution even more important.

Vics occupy second spot, eight points adrift of their Cheshire neighbours, a gap they can cut should they win a game in hand.


Worksop (4-5-1) Worsnop (GK),Young, Shiels, Wood, Warlow, Beeson, Hudson (Colton 78), Melton (Burbeary 68), Sharry, King, Jackson (McDonald 58)
Subs not used Taylor, Nightingale

Vics (4-2-3-1) Hinchliffe (GK), Disney, Kearney, Smyth, Fitzpatrick, Field, Roddy, Wade, Riley, Woolfe (Abbott 75), Evans (Clarke 71)
Subs not used Armstrong, Ennis, Short
Goal Wade 42
Booked Kearney (foul)

Subs not used James Thornhill (Ilkeston)
Attendance 302