Peter Tonge’s full verdict on Northwich Victoria’s 3-2 FA Vase victory at Darwen…
ANOTHER pulsating cup tie involving the Vics, as they eventually managed to overcome a spirited and very good Darwen side.
Both sides were intent on attacking right from the start, which resulted in an entertaining, end-to-end match.
Two minutes in, Vics were indebted to Frazer Cookson for a great last-ditch tackle to deny Bobby Langford as he drove through the middle into the box.
Vics then had a shout for a penalty as Ryan Atkinson looked to have been taken out late after volleying a cross over the bar, but it was not given by the referee.
Kalvin Morris for Darwen then put a shot wide of the far post after being found by a great cross field diagonal ball as the all-action start continued.
A poor pass from Will Lloyd then set Darwen on a counter but they failed to capitalise on the error.
Eighteen minutes in, Vics were caught out by a long ball over the top which set Keane Joyce through on goal but Andrew Mendes pulled off a fantastic save as Joyce’s curling shot looked destined for the corner of the net.
Moments later, it was Vics having a chance as Joe Duckworth had a shot saved before Elliott Rokka so nearly repeated his free-kick goal against Bootle but was denied by a superb flying save by Louis Hood in the Darwen goal.
Three minutes later, Vics did take the lead as Rokka took advantage of a mix-up in the Darwen defence to slam the ball into the back of the net.
The match now began to settle down with Vics having the best of the play but Darwen always looked lively and dangerous on the attack.
Darwen fired a free-kick straight into the wall whilst Atkinson had a good effort saved well for a corner after he had teamed up brilliantly with Leo Tanswell.
Then just before half-time, Lee Jackson had to be alert to steal the ball off Morris’s toes as he went through, leading to a Vics’ counter which ended in Atkinson driving into the area and being brought down in the area as two defenders went into tackle him – slightly dubious decision, but the referee was adamant it was a penalty.
Duckworth stepped up and skied it well over the bar leaving Vics with a slender one-goal lead going into half time.
The second half was barely two minutes old when Darwen equalised after a mistake from Mendes lead to Sean Elliott having the simple job to slot the ball into an empty net.
A minute later, it was Vics back into the lead as Will Bentley beat his man and drove into the left side of the area before crashing an unstoppable shot past Hood into the far corner – a great response from the Vics.
However, Darwen kept coming forward and equalised again in the 62nd minute as a great touch from Morris set Bruno Severino through on goal and he easily slotted the ball past Mendes into the net.
It only took Vics six minutes to retake the lead in this pulsating game as Bentley superbly set debutant Lucas Edwards free down the left, he beat two defenders and finished superbly from the angle.
Two minutes later, it should have been four for Vics but Hood pulled off a superb save to deny Bentley
Darwen were having a lot of the ball now, but Vics were working hard to deny them chances and were looking dangerous as they broke forward.
Vics had a shot rattle the crossbar before Abbott for Darwen fired over and Charlie Lloyd tried an ambitious long range shot as Darwen struggled to create a clear-cut chance.
The match entered the closing stages with Vics looking fairly comfortable, and the referee blew the whistle to close a good old fashioned cup tie with both sides playing their part.
Vics: Mendes, Nugent (Higgins), Keogh, Cookson, L Jackson, Atkinson, Tanswell (Edwards), Lloyd, Duckworth (Clarke), Rokka (R Jackson), Bentley (Birchall)
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