The Vics Column by Pete Tonge

My favourite Northwich Victoria matches

1. Vics 2 Doncaster Rovers 3, October 2001

A favourite because it was my first Northwich Vics match. I had only gone because my younger son, then 11, had picked up a free ticket from school. I can’t remember much, if anything, about the match apart from the fact it had 5 goals, a sending off and was all action. This was the last season Vics played at the Drill Field Ground. From this match on I was hooked.

2. Vics 3 Stafford Rangers 1, April 2007

This was the match that clinched the Conference North Title for the Vics, as they beat title challengers 3-1 in the penultimate match of the 2006-07 season in front of 3,154 fans at the Victoria stadium. What an atmosphere there was. Vics even then knew how to torment their supporters, and went one down before two carbon copy goals from top striker, and probably my favourite Vics’ player of all time, Jonny Allan gave the Trickies a 2-1 half time lead, the second coming on the stroke of half time. Vics sealed the win, and the title, when winger Chris Williams beat a couple of players and struck a thunderbolt into the top corner of the net, a goal never to be forgotten.

3. Vics 1 Charlton Ath 0, FA Cup 1st Round, November 2009

Who could forget this match which was broadcast live on ITV as well. Charlton Athletic were at the top of the 1st Division at the time, and Vics had no chance. However Vics had other ideas, and dominated the match with their direct style of play and determination unsettling their more prestigious opponents.

There were 82 minutes on the clock, and people were thinking that maybe Vics had had their chance when that moment came…a Mike O’Connor header through to 18-year-old Wayne Riley was toe-poked past Darren Randolph in the Charlton net. What a noise there was, and the celebrations had to be seen to be believed. The last 10 minutes or so were so nerve-wracking, especially when we gave away a free kick just outside the area with a couple of minutes left! But we survived.

4. Newcastle Benfield 2 Vics 3, FA Vase 5 January 2019

Memorable not only because of the result and performance, but mainly down to how that one match managed to bring the new fan-owned club together as one, management, players and supporters. For some reason, it just clicked, and I for one, will never forget the noise from the 130 or so Vics supporters there in the clubhouse before the game, and the ovation they gave to the players as they came out for the match. It must have inspired them, as they stormed into a three-goal lead by half time. Typically, they made us sweat in the second, as Benfield pulled it back to 3-2 with over 10 minutes still to go, and the feeling that the script was written for ex-Trickies hero and legend, Paul Brayson, to get an equaliser for the North Eastern Club. However Vics held on to send their supporters home happy

5. Vics v Avro FC, Saturday 11 January 2020

The next match for Vics is always a favourite, something to look forward to and this one is no different despite the current disappointing results. This Saturday will be the one that see the Vics back to their best.

NVFC : The Club That Wouldn’t Die