RYAN Mitchell’s goal will give 1874 Northwich fans reason to remember their team’s first win in this fixture.

It arrived late, in the fourth minute of added time to be precise, and it was decisive.

Only moments earlier, those same supporters were contemplating history repeating itself after Jack Coop plundered a leveller for the hosts.

They had done the same 12 months earlier to deny Ian Street’s side maximum points.

However this Northwich side is on a roll that one wasn’t, and have now won their past seven matches in the North West Counties League’s top-flight.

The prevailed on Saturday afternoon only after Sam Riley had put Maine Road in front inside five minutes after the visitors had failed to deal with a corner.

1874 recovered, and both Mark Jones and Jake Parker were thwarted by a defender’s block.

Scott McGowan and Taylor Kennerley sent efforts narrowly off-target, while Kazim Waite-Jackson went closer still when his attempt struck an upright.

Hayden Buckley-Smith, the home team’s goalkeeper, also tipped over a strike from Jones.

The visitors restored parity though before the break when Jack Pritchard placed a close-range header into the net from Matthew Woolley’s cross.

The second-half started with Woolley and Coop trading long-range attempts that failed to trouble either custodian.

Waite-Jackson then had further cause to curse his bad luck when a drive from distance rattled both posts before rebounding to a relieved Buckley-Smith.

1874 edged in front on 65 minutes when Jake Parker drilled low through a crowded six-yard box after attempts by McGowan and Mitchell had been smuggled off the goal-line.

Greg Hall had to produce his best to prevent Coop from scoring shortly afterwards, although the Maine Road attacker did so anyway when a free-kick fell kindly in the penalty area.

However 1874 refused to leave Brantingham Road a fifth time without a victory, and Mitchell’s thumping header from Waite-Jackson’s corner settled the outcome their way.

1874 | Hall (GK), Connor (Meadowcroft 89), Lee Jackson, Pritchard, Mitchell, Jones, Waite-Jackson, Matthew Woolley, McGowan, Parker (Lever 77), Kennerley (Woods 68) Subs not used Haughton, Thomas Goals Pritchard 45, Parker 68, Mitchell 90

Referee Liam Corrigan

Attendance 175

Match report by Garry Clarke