TOM Wade, Newcastle Benfield’s manager, believes a tactical adjustment during the interval change the course of an FA Vase clash with 1874 Northwich on Saturday.

The visitors had largely controlled the game before the break, although without breaking through, prompting the hosts to shuffle their pack for the second-half.

It worked a treat, and the Northern League side did not look back from the moment Paul Brayson’s brilliant header opened the scoring on the hour.

“We were too open and our system just didn’t work in the first-half,” said Wade.

“It was a hard slog, and we were getting over-run in midfield.

“We changed to two up front and that allowed us to take control.”

Scott McCarthy was then left unchallenged to not in Dennis Knight’s corner to make it 2-0 – a knockout blow for opponents that had reached the semi-finals of last season’s edition.

1874 struggled to create anything that might spark a recovery.

Wade said: “[Paul] Brayson did what he always does, and you have to say it was a tremendous header.

“It was important too because I think it knocked their confidence a bit.

“The second goal pretty much ended it, and they’ll be unhappy because Scott has had a free header inside the six-yard box.

“They worked hard, but didn’t really have anything to show for it and we just about deserved to win.”

Newcastle were paired with Runcorn Town, a rival of 1874 in the North West Counties League’s top-flight, in a draw for the third round published on Monday.

To see the draw in full, click here

Additional reporting by Mark Carruthers