THREE red cards were brandished in an important win for 1874 Northwich on Saturday.
They stayed third and maintained pressure on the top two in the Midland League Premier Division thanks to their 4-1 home victory over fifth-placed Abbey Hulton United at Townfield.
Chris Herbert’s side scored their four goals in an outstanding first-half display, netting the first two before the visitors were reduced to 10 men.
They never added to their tally even after Abbey Hulton were down to nine players from the 56th minute, while 1874’s Henry McNulty went for an early shower in the 84th minute.
An absolute screamer by Jacson Coppack put the Greens ahead in the first minute and Dale Jennings made it 2-0 after latching on to a defence-splitting pass midway through the half.
When a 41st-minute corner caused chaos in the Abbey Hulton box Coppack headed home after an initial great save by Abbey keeper Danny Roberts.
Then on the stroke of half-time centre back Adam Hughes, who joined the club from Vauxhall Motors earlier this month, bagged his first goal for the club with a well-placed finish into the bottom corner.
The only goal of the second half came from nine-man Abbey through Jack Gumbley in the 83rd minute, with 1874’s focus now switching to next Saturday’s trip to Brocton, 3pm.
In the current weather conditions, credit has to go to the volunteers for a brilliant effort in ensuring the match was played on the back of Barnton hosting Darwen on the same pitch the night before.
The Villagers drew 2-2 but eventually lost their Edward Case Cup quarter-final tie 4-2 on penalties.
Also on Friday night, Hanley Town won their game in hand 6-0 at Uttoxeter Town to move level on points with Northwich Victoria at the top of the table.
They have each won 15 games, drawn six and lost only one of their 22 fixtures, with Vics holding on to first place thanks to their goal-difference superiority of plus three.
Vics’ match away to Brocton over the weekend was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch and they return to action away to Whitchurch Alport next Saturday, 3pm.
In the same league, Winsford United pocketed a competent 2-0 success at Romulus.
Matty Birchall finished clinically to give Blues a third-minute lead and Reece Davies completed the scoring in the 42nd minute.
Winsford will head to Stourport Swifts on Tuesday, 8pm, and then West Didsbury & Chorlton next Saturday, 3pm, seeking to book their place in the FA Vase quarter-finals.
Jack Walls scored for both sides as Witton Albion were defeated at Atherton Collieries in Northern Premier League West.
The Liverpool-born defender, who joined Albion from Bala Town in mid-December, deflected the ball into his own net in the 22nd minute to give the hosts a lead which they doubled five minutes later through a well-taken Harry Showman effort.
They were close to going ahead earlier but the assistant referee’s flag went up for offside when Luke Partington flicked the ball home.
A piledriver through a crowded box from Walls reduced the deficit in the 79th minute but Albion never created enough to go on and get something out of the game at the Dreams2Reality.co.uk Stadium.
That was Witton’s first goal in three games, a sequence in which they’ve lost twice and drawn once in contrast to three previous wins in which they scored 13 times.
For Colls, who produced a ‘Hammer House of Horrors’ performance to lose 4-1 at bottom side Trafford the previous week, it was their first win under Daniel Lafferty who took over the reins at the end of 2025.
Albion return to action at home against lowly Stafford Rangers next Saturday, 3pm.
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