Northwich Victoria 2 AFC Wulfrunians 0, match report

AN emotional day at Vics as the club paid tribute to a much-loved member of the Vics family Sharon Oakes, who died earlier in the week.

Sharon was a lifelong fan along with her family and much loved by all, and we send our love and condolences to Tom, Emma and Keiron and the rest of her family.

A minute's applause in memory of Vics fan Sharon Oakes (Image: Gary Moore)

Vics claimed a well-deserved first league win of the season, with two well-taken goals in the first half and a solid defensive performance in the second.

A fairly quiet start to the match with both sides feeling each other out, with Vics passing the ball around nicely.

Chances were scarce but Samuel Unwin tested the keeper in the fifth minute after he was played in after some neat passing whilst Wulfrunians had a scuffed shot in the eighth minute.

Dylan Switters fired a free kick just past the post from 30 yards and then had another effort from the edge of the area which the keeper parried away and Anton Smith had the rebound well blocked for a corner.

The corner was a training ground move which worked perfectly as the ball fell to Marcus Perry, who fired in from 20 yards.

Vics were on top now and Unwin was denied by the Wulfrunians keeper in the 36th minute as he dived to his right to keep out a goal bound shot from 12 yards.

Just three minutes later, however, a great ball from Perry found Unwin in space just inside the box and he confidently slid the ball past the keeper to give Vics a two-goal cushion.

The second half was mostly played in the Vics half, with Wulfrunians pushing them back but creating few real chances.

A header was deflected just wide of the Vics post after 49 minutes and then Adam Reid got down well to put a free-kick behind for a corner.

Vics were content to play on the break and nearly went further ahead in the 74th minute when they earnt a corner, which Perry sent over to the far post where Fraser Cookson headed inches wide.

Substitute Jonathon Krakue fired a shot over the bar in the 80th minute after being set up by Unwin before they reversed roles three minutes later as Krakue played the ball to Unwin on the left, whose shot was high and wide.

Wulfrunians threatened a minute later as a great strike was tipped onto the right-hand post by Reid, but that was the nearest they got to a goal as Vics finished the match the stronger.

Unwin had a great chance in the 87th minute as he was sent through on goal, but tried to cut inside the defender instead of having a strike at goal whilst deep into added time, Joe Camozzi found himself free in the area but scuffed his shot straight at the keeper.

Vics: Reid, Clarke, Cole (Camozzi), Battersby, Cookson, Roberts, Smith (Hughes), Kilheeney (Krakue), Switters (Grindrod), Perry (Parker), Unwin