Chester Stamp on Vics' hopes (From Warrington Guardian)

Chester Stamp on Vics' hopes

A DARRYN Stamp brace and strikes from Kevin McIntyre and Daryl Clare were enough to consign Northwich Victoria to their 10th league defeat in 11 games.

And the 4-0 score line, Chester's second four goal victory over Vics this season, tells its own tale as Northwich were completely outclassed by a side surely destined to return to League football next term.

What the score doesn't show however is the desire shown by Northwich for the opening 30 minutes of the match, which surpassed anything seen by the long suffering Vics faithful so far this season.

In Scott Willis, Stephen Nicholas and Craig Mitchell Northwich have an exiting trio who seem capable of turning things round for Shaun Teale in the long term and on Saturday for much of the first half they asked serious questions of the Chester back four.

Vics' hopes of taking something from the game were boosted by Andy Woods whose performance in goal was nothing short of outstanding, including a magnificent penalty save after 23 minutes from the boot of Chester City top scorer Clare.

But the save seemed to spur Chester on to greater things and from the moment Woods palmed the shot away Mark Wright's charges never looked like losing the match.

Vics started the match well and had the first real shot on goal when Willis let fly from 25 yards but his shot flew well wide of the target.

And they should have taken the lead on 19 minutes when Mitchell's shot was cleared off the line by the excellent Alex Smith and Willis' follow up was blocked.

Chester then began to turn the screw and a succession of attacks put pressure on the Vics defence, which eventually cracked when Paul McGuire needlessly handled a cross in the box.

Clare stepped up to take the penalty prompting Woods into Northwich's best moment of the match.

The game then swung in favour of the visitors and they showed their class by taking complete control - starting with the first goal of the game that was worth paying to see.

Peter Wright gave away a free kick on the edge of the Northwich box and McIntyre gratefully accepted the chance to show how deadly he is from 25 yards.

The Chester full back hit a fierce, dipping, curling shot that flew past Woods giving the keeper absolutely no chance.

After 42 minutes Stamp doubled the lead following yet another free kick.

Smith curled a dangerous ball into the Northwich box and a mix up in defence between Woods, McGuire and Kieran Charnock, which saw Charnock stretchered off, enabled Stamp to stab the ball home from four yards.

The second half was all Chester and turned into a one-man show as Smith terrorised the Northwich defence with his direct and skilful running.

Vics simply had no answer to Chester's attacking fluidity and capitulated during a seven-minute spell after the break.

Clare added Chester's third after 49 minutes following good work down the left from Smith and just three minutes later Stamp completed Vics' misery with his second and Chester's fourth of the afternoon.

And again it was worth waiting for.

The big striker collected the ball on the edge of the area and let fly with a looping shot which curled inside the far post.

Chester seemed determined to add to their tally and had plenty of time to do so but in Woods found a keeper in inspired form.

The Northwich keeper formed a single handed rear guard action and prevented Chester from rattling up a cricket score - saving well on several occasions from Clare, Stamp, Michael Twiss and Kevin Rapley.