NORTHWICH Victoria hold a four-point lead at the top of the Midland Football League Premier Division after Boxing Day’s fixtures.
They were held to a 1-1 draw by fierce rivals 1874 Northwich in a hotly contested ‘derby’ played out in front of 652 fans at the Apec Taxis Stadium in Runcorn on Friday afternoon, with the visitors dropping to third on the ladder having been overtaken by Hanley Town.
Vics took a 49th-minute lead through a Will Lloyd deflected effort, while Jacson Coppack levelled matters with a beauty as he lobbed home keeper Andre Mendes from distance in the 79th minute.
The result takes 1874’s unbeaten league matches sequence into double figures, while Vics still haven’t beaten their ‘nearest and dearest’ in the league since almost seven years ago.
Witton Albion handed their fans a late Christmas present with a 4-1 home win against Nantwich Town at the U Lock It Stadium.
Two goals in six minutes early in the second half proved pivotal to the success.
Tom Hoyle put Ben Harrison’s men in front after eight minutes but Alex Panter’s 43rd-minute effort cancelled that out.
Then Alfie Bairstow, whose loan from Salford City was extended by a month just before Christmas, fired Witton back in front after 50 minutes.
Fellow midfielder Joe Edwards made it 3-1 just five minutes later before Freddy Garbutt wrapped up the scoring with a 66th-minute penalty.
Witton climbed four places to 11th in Northern Premier League West thanks to their bank holiday bonanza.
Winsford United disappointed as they fell 1-0 at home to Whitchurch Alport in the Midland League Premier Division.
Blues were off-colour throughout, never really getting going, and were beaten by a 65th-minute penalty when Jacob Kirwan was sent the wrong way by Mark Hughes.
Kirwan made two fine saves to prevent Alport extending their lead as the game progressed in front of 442 supporters.
For Whitchurch, it was their first win since September 23.
Winsford stay 10th in the table but the gap in points between them and the play-offs places has increased to 12.
Barnton paid the price for not cashing in on the first-half chances they created as they fell 2-0 at home to Runcorn Town in North West Counties League Division One South.
They ended up conceding twice after the break, watched by a ‘gate’ of 402.
