Match report: 1874 Northwich 3 Squires Gate 1

Squires Gate came away with nothing against one of the Hallmark Security League's form teams, though they could have drawn level before their hosts' killer third goal.
Scott Harries on the attack for Squires Gate    Picture: ALBERT COOPERScott Harries on the attack for Squires Gate    Picture: ALBERT COOPER
Scott Harries on the attack for Squires Gate Picture: ALBERT COOPER

Don’t miss the latest football news and gossip from leagues in England, Scotland and Europe with footballwire.co.ukThe home side’s fixture backlog resulting from their FA Vase run brought about this additional midweek fixture. They had won 2-0 at Ashton Athletic on Tuesday but looked fresh in the first 20 minutes against Gate.

Gate did well to nullify the home side’s threat as 74 started brightly, Dan Gray defending well as winger Ryan Jackson burst forward. However, the visitors were relieved to see Matt Woolley’s shot from a corner fly just over.

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Gate’s best chance of the half fell to Scott Harries after only nine minutes but the striker for the night couldn’t get the ball out from under his feet on the edge of the box.

The visitors were otherwise limited to long-range shots in the first period, Dean Ing and Ryan Charnley both firing wide late in the half.

Gate looked like reaching half-time at 0-0 but a minute before the break a good cross from the right reached home striker Scott McGowan, who headed in from 12 yards.

Northwich started the second period strongly and doubled their lead nine minutes in, when McGowan met another cross, this time from the left, for his second.

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Gate hit back on the hour, when Harries picked the ball up on the edge of the box before jinking the last 74 defender and firing past keeper Greg Hall .

This goal spurred Gate, though it took a goal-line clearance by Alex Colquhoun to deny the hosts a third

Hall had to be alert to deal with some dangerous crosses by substitute Danny Green, though Gate lacked a cutting edge up top.

And Jackson put the game out of sight from a corner six minutes from time, firing home from the edge of the box.

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The win lifts Northwich to seventh in the premier division, while Gate remain 13th ahead of Saturday’s home clash with West Didsbury and Chorlton.

Gate: Fletcher, Gray, Rossall, Colquhoun, Higham, Richards, Mullen, Charnley, Ing, Bamba, Harries. Subs: O’Mahoney, Gibson, Green.