Nuneaton Boro 3

Northwich Vics 1

LANCE Key was both hero and villain as Vics lost their first match of the season at newly promoted Nuneaton Borough.

Key pulled off a string of excellent saves to deny the home side but two lapses in concentration late in the second half allowed Nuneaton to put the game beyond Vics.

Both sides missed good early chances with Darren Vicary and Ian Cooke wasting opportunities while Key tipped a point blank header from former Tranmere striker Ian Muir over the bar.

Key pulled off another excellent save straight after the break when he tipped a powerful Crawley shot around the post.

Vics responded and took the lead after 51 minutes with Liam Robinson scoring his first league goal for the club.

He latched on to Vicary's cross to fire a crisp shot inside Chris Mackenzie's right-hand post

Nuneaton hit back and went close twice as Vics began to lose their composure in midfield, eventually getting an equaliser when Dave Hanson's header came off the post for Joe O'Connor to score the rebound.

Key's hesitation allowed Hanson to connect with Wayne Simpson's 78th minute cross before the Vics 'keeper bundled O'Connor over inside the area only minutes later.

Steve Prindiville made no mistake with the penalty.

Vics: Key, Bates, Birch, Robertson, Crookes, Ellis, Walters, Devlin, Cooke (Illman 72), Robinson (Peel 72), Vicary (Owen 84).Subs not used: Terry,Gann.MoM: Devlin - tireless work in midfield. Ref: A McGee (Knowsley) Att: 2084

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.