Northwich Victoria 2, Crawley T 0

Mar 17 2008 by Mike Talbot- Butler, Liverpool Daily Post

HAVING called on his players to deliver nine points from three crucial home games in eight days, manager Dino Maamria welcomed Vics’ first home win since December 8 in the Blue Square Premier.

“That was more like it”, said the Northwich boss: “One down with two to go”.

There was nothing in it in the first half with Crawley’s Kieran Murphy forcing Scott Tynan into a brilliant save before Northwich defender Ryan Brown failed with a good chance after Ashley Bayes had beaten out his initial attempt.

An interval switch which saw winger Jamie Mullan replace the struggling Michael Carr turned the game within 10 minutes. Mullan raced down the right and crossed for the experienced Darryn Stamp to slide the ball in on his home debut.

Soon afterwards Vics were 2-0 up when a Stamp through-ball saw Lee Steele expertly muscle his way past indeterminate defending to bring his tally for the season into double figures.

Crawley raised their game to carve out several golden opportunities, but Mustafa Carayol perpetrated the miss of the season with the goal at his mercy, then Kevin James saw his shot hit the bar and bounce down, apparently on the line.

Vics weathered the storm to finish comfortably ahead and now need to go on and beat rivals Weymouth tomorrow and Farsley Celtic on Saturday at the Marston’s Arena to keep up their momentum.

NORTHWICH: Tynan; Meadowcroft, Welch, Belle, Brown; Byrne (Crowell 70), J Wilson, Carr (Mullan HT), Byrom; Steele (Burns 80), Stamp.

CRAWLEY: Bayes; Thomas, Stevens, Thompson, Bulman; Pittman, G Wilson, Pilault (Blackburn 78), Murphy; Carayol, James.ATTENDANCE: 585.