1874 Northwich made a successful return to their former home, winning 2-0 against Winsford United at Barton Stadium in front of a crowd of 627 spectators – an attendance boosted by attendees of the league’s Groundhop weekend.

The victory over their former landlords maintained 1874’s seven-point lead at the top of the North West Counties Football League Premier Division table and extended their unbeaten league run to 16 games.

After an initial feeling out process, 1874 started to gain the ascendancy with Jake Parker and Jack Tinning both going close with shots from outside the area midway through the first half before captain Matt Woolley opened the scoring in the 25th minute.

With the referee waving play on amid the home side's claims for hand ball the ball broke to Woolley who from 30 yards unleashed a thunderous drive which flew into the top corner of the net.

Winsford goalkeeper Scott Read produced two fine saves to deny Sam Hare and Mike Koral but was unable to prevent Lee Knight from doubling 1874’s lead in the 31st minute.

Picking up the ball near the halfway line his surging run into the heart of the Winsford defence left several opponents trailing in his wake before he drilled an angled shot out of Reed's reach into the bottom corner.

The second half descended into a somewhat scrappy affair on a boggy pitch in which neither side looked like scoring although Reed pulled off a couple of good saves and his 1874 counterpart Tony Aghayere saved smartly to keep out a late Sam Madeley effort.

1874: Aghayere, Koral, Tinning, Jackson, Jones, Parker (Weir), Gardner (Hind), Woolley, Wellstead (Kennerley), Hare, Knight. Subs not used Duckworth, Cain