FA UMBRO TROPHY (From Warrington Guardian)

FA UMBRO TROPHY

Radcliffe Borough 1

Northwich Vics 2

HOW ironic that it was the cultured left foot of Darren Vicary which won this cup tie writes Scott McLeod.

Because, for the majority of the evening, it was good, old-fashioned grit and determination which provided Vics with the springboard to win the match.

On a bog of a pitch and against a scrappy Unibond Division One side, the mass of travelling Greens could have been forgiven for thinking they were witnessing a replay of the Droylsden FA Cup defeat when Tony Carroll thumped Radcliffe into an early lead. But the former Vics striker's 16th minute goal was merely to prove the catalyst for a rousing Northwich fightback.

Now manager Mark Gardiner has his sights set on Wembley: "There's no reason why we can't have a really good cup run in the Trophy. If the performances are right we could go all the way. The players believe they have the ability to do it."

Vics started brightly, forcing two corners in the first two minutes. And on four minutes Ian Cooke had the ball in the back of the net after a scramble in the area only for the referee to blow for an infringement.

Instead it was the name of Tony Carroll to be the first to find its way onto the scoresheet. On 16 minutes a Gary Henshaw corner from the right was spilled by Dean Greygoose and cleared only as far as Carroll on the edge of the area. His drive took a deflection to evade Greygoose and rise into the roof of the net.

Slowly but surely, Northwich played their way back into contention. But on 24 minutes Greygoose was called upon to tip a Carroll chip from 25 yards onto the crossbar and behind for a corner.

At the other end a searching pass by Steve Walters released the tireless Stuart Terry, who pulled back a delightful cross from the by-line to Ian Cooke whose half-volley was saved brilliantly by the legs of Steve Berryman.

Under mounting pressure, a firm Paul Tait header from a corner on the left was cleared off the line by Stuart Leicester with the keeper beaten.

But it wasn't until deep into first-half injury time that Vics equalised. Four minutes over time and, with the home supporters whistling for half-time, a Terry pass picked out the unmarked Tait on the penalty spot only for the striker's shot to be blocked by the legs of the 'keeper as he surged out.

Within two minutes and Cooke had made amends. Having received the ball on the edge of the area, he dummied one way before turning towards goal and firing a shot which took a wicked deflection and skipped into the corner of the net.

After the break Vics took a grip on the game. Radcliffe only created two good chances, both of which fell to Carroll, the second seeing him round Greygoose only for Mark Birch to deny him with a header off the line.

But, at the other end, Vics created a host of openings. A Simpson cross from the right was missed by Tait four yards out, Cooke unleashed a good shot from the left of the area which Berryman stopped acrobatically and Val Owen missed a clear header from 10 yards; all within the space of a few minutes.

With 20 minutes left, a Terry corner from the left was headed clear only as far as Vicary 20 yards out. He positioned himself perfectly before unleashing a dipping shot which went in off Berryman's right-hand post.

Radcliffe had no response and Northwich played out time, assured of a place in the fourth round against Havant or Worcester City.

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