Northwich Victoria 0 Whitchurch Alport 3, match report

A POOR display from the Vics as Whitchurch dominated the first half and Vics were lucky only to be one down at half time.

However, it was Vics who should have opened the scoring after just two minutes as Callum Parker latched onto a long ball forward and did supremely well to hold off his man, but with just the keeper to beat he placed his shot just wide of the post.

From then on, it was virtually all Alport and they took the lead in the ninth minute as Craig Pritchard was allowed in cut in from the left and fire a shot past Dalton into the net.

Three minutes later, it could have been another for Alport as Callum Knowles controlled the ball well, turned and hit a half volley from 25 yards which went just wide.

A goalmouth scramble in the Vics box shortly later ended with a cheeky back heel from Farnsworth which Dalton gratefully claimed.

Vics did have a penalty claim in the 32nd minute as Kaleb Parkinson got ahead of his defender in the box and was promptly pushed over, but the referee waved play on.

Alport were creating chances for fun, however, and only poor finishing and good fortune kept Vics in the match and only one down at half time.

Vics came out stronger in the second half and seized the initiative back, pushing Alport back into their own half.

However, they weren’t testing Sheward in the Alport net enough.

In the 58th minute, Will Lloyd crossed well for Parker at the far post but his first-time effort was just wide while five minutes later, Marcus Perry did brilliantly to escape down the right but his cross was well put out for a corner.

Sam Unwin then had a shot deflected for a corner before Perry again went down the right and put a fantastic deep cross in, which a defender just managed to reach ahead of the waiting Unwin at the far post. Another case of nearly but not quite.

Parkinson then hit a superb volley which looked to be in all the way but the ball whistled past the post.

It was all to play for with 15 minutes, but Alport were getting back into the match and they hit the bar in the 77th minute as Knowles met a cross from the left.

Two minutes later, however, they did make the game safe as a corner was headed home by Freddie Bishton.

Vics continued to huff and puff and Parker and Unwin both had half chances, but deep into injury time, Callum Knowles slotted in a third for Alport after a good counter-attack.

Vics: Dalton, Camozzi, Clarke, Leeson, Bland (Bennett), Switters (Perry) Smith, Lloyd, Unwin, Parkinson, Parker. Subs not used: Ogundare, Crellin, Williams