Saturday 22nd September 2018, NWCFL Premier Division

West 1 (Dos Santos 34)
1874 Northwich 2 (Kennerley 20, 74)
Att: 364

1874 Northwich regained their stranglehold over West as a pointless September continued at Brookburn Road.

West’s victory in the same fixture last April was their first over 1874 in 11 attempts, but this was normal service resumed as Taylor Kennerley scored either side of half time to hand the Greens their second league win of the season and ensure Junior Dos Santos’ equaliser was for naught.

Both sides woke up on Saturday morning firmly at the wrong end of the table with a solitary win each to their names, and frayed nerves were evident in an opening period where free-kicks outnumbered successful passes. It took 20 minutes for the first opportunity of any note, and it was enough for 1874 to open the scoring – Marcus Burgess did well to deflect a low shot away with his feet, but Kennerley was in the right place to snaffle the rebound.

West, again without the injured Ashley Leather, were struggling to make any impact in the Greens’ half but an equaliser did arrive just after the half-hour. Joe Shaw collected a deep cross and found Dos Santos, who took aim from 30 yards and cashed in as 1874 keeper James Coates could only palm the ball into the bottom corner.

If the first period was inconclusively scrappy, the second was more open as the visitors began to push forward. However, Burgess was rarely called into gainful employment and Kyle Riley spurned the clearest opening when he skewed wide from close range. West almost punished the Greens for their profligacy when Dos Santos found space on the edge of the box, but this time luck deserted him and his effort cannoned off the crossbar.

Joe Shaw headed wide from a decent position with his last act before being substituted for debutant Abel Tsegaye, but Kennerley was more clinical seconds later when he caught Josh Tinker unaware and made a perfect connection with a right-wing cross, leaving Burgess grasping at thin air.

West never seriously looked like pulling themselves level again and 1874 comfortably saw out their latest win against West, who find themselves in dire need of an upturn in fortunes at Ashton Athletic on Tuesday.

West: Burgess, Tinker, Woods, Andrews , J. Mason, Eckersley, S. Mason, Roberts, Henderson, Shaw (Tsegaye 73), Dos Santos (Whyment 82). Not used: Eiselt, Jones, Brew-Butler.