WITTON Albion went down to a 3-0 defeat at home to Crewe Alexandra when they played a first pre-season friendly.

There was encouragement in the first-half for manager Carl Macauley, who included summer signings James Short, James Murray and Liam Goulding in his side, when Will Jones went closest to scoring with a powerful drive.

The visitors posed a threat too, and took the lead when new boy Daniel Powell planted a firm header into the corner from Callum Ainley's clipped cross.

He demonstrated his prowess with the ball on the floor too when he swivelled and fired low past substitute goalkeeper Ryan Neild at his near post to double the Football League side's advantage on the hour.

Shaun Miller swept in a neatly-worked third goal for the visitors late on after replacement Travis Johnson raided impressively down the right.

New recruit Harry Cain played for the final-half hour of 1874 Northwich's slender 1-0 defeat away Hyde United after coming on as a substitute.

He prompted the Tiger's goalkeeper to produce his best at the end of a counter-attack as the visitors attempted to conjure an equaliser.

They had fallen behind shortly after the interval when a trialist for the Northern Premier League outfit was first to a loose ball after goalkeeper Tony Aghayere had palmed away an initial effort.

Tom Kilifin scored twice for Northwich Victoria during the closing stages to turn around a meeting with Sandbach United that they trailed.

He converted smartly from Joel Brownhill's pass with eight minutes left before rising to meet Jack Fleming's cross with his head to secure a 2-1 win for Steve Wilkes' side.

Aaron Knight had established a lead for the North West Counties League First Division South side after combining with Kieran Garner-Knapper in the opening quarter of an hour.

Nathan Cotterell scored against his former club when Winsford United continued an encouraging start to pre-season with a 2-0 victory over higher-ranked guests Nantwich Town.

He lobbed goalkeeper Ollie Hawkins from outside of the penalty area before recent signing Adam Barlow doubled Blues' lead in the second-half at Barton Stadium with another effort from distance.

Lee Duckworth's men have now won four successive friendly matches.