1874 NORTHWICH will play another home game at Witton Albion’s ground when they resume their FA Vase campaign next month.

A fifth-round encounter with Chichester City takes place there on Saturday, February 3, kick-off 3pm.

They saw off Pontefract Collieries on the same pitch at the previous stage last weekend, and attracted the largest crowd to watch a home game for the supporter-owned club since it was formed five years ago.

“Staging 1874 Northwich games when our stadium is available helps both them and us,” said Mark Harris, Witton’s chairman.

“They asked us earlier this week if they could return here for their next FA Vase tie, which takes place when Witton are scheduled to play away [at Grantham].

“We may host further games too, but that would be subject to commercial terms being agreed.”

In a brief announcement published on Saturday on their website, 1874 thanked both Witton and Winsford United – their landlords at St Luke’s Barton Stadium – for their co-operation.

An existing ground-share arrangement with Blues expires in June of this year.

However the two clubs have negotiated a new, open-ended deal that will allow 1874 to host visiting teams in Winsford for an indefinite period.

A clause requiring them to give 12 months’ notice, if they find an alternative that they feel is a better long-term option, is one of the terms.