Northwich teach Oxford a football lesson

Mar 31 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

THE remarkable upturn in Northwich’s’ Blue Square Premier fortunes continued at the Kassam Stadium where they completed the double over former Football League giants Oxford United.

Now with a return of 18 points from their last eight unbeaten outings, Vics were worthy winners against a side who also entered the game in good form.

The only goal came as early as the 11th minute when Oxford goalkeeper Billy Turley unaccountably let an easy ball slip out if his grasp and the inrushing Lee Steele was there to side-foot his 13th goal of the campaign.

Roared on by a crowd of 4,673 – which included a meagre 116 visiting fans – Oxford came hard at Vics especially in the second half, but were handicapped when they lost defender Luke Forster on 50 minutes when he collected a second yellow card.

The Northwich defence, which featured Accrington loanee Mark Roberts at right-back, took the strain well with skipper Michael Welch in prime form, while up front they managed to create a golden late chance only for Steele to miss.

Striker Dave Brown, also on loan from Accrington, replaced Darren Stamp in the closing stages and looked a useful acquisition.

Their full points return greatly improves Northwich’s chances of safety and they are now within catching distance of all four principal relegation rivals Weymouth, Altrincham, Farsley and Halifax, given that the bottom two clubs Droylsden and Stafford already looked doomed.

Oxford: Turley; Hand (Blackwood 46), Day, Anoclet, Howard; Foster, Trainer, Murray, Quinn; Green (Odubode 82), Richards (McAllister 46). Sent off: Forster. Booked: Foster, Anoclet, Day.

Northwich: Connett; Roberts, Welch, Belle, R. Brown; Mullan, Crowell, Byrne, Byrom (Carr 76); Steele (Burns 89), Stamp (D Brown 81). Booked: Crowell, Byrom, Welch.