West crashed out of the FA Cup under the lights of Brookburn Road as they fell 3-1 to perennial bogey team 1874 Northwich.
Steve Settle was down to the barebones as he was without Carlos Mendes Gomes, Gary Lilley, Mark Rogers and Daryl Weston. As such he handed Rick Gleave his first start of the season whilst his substitutes saw the return of Paul Socha and the first appearance of Sam McLennan. Despite suffering a deep head wound on Saturday Anthony Potts was able to play through the pain.
The game was four minutes old when a flick on by Kev McGrath from a Ben Steer through and Tom Bailey fired an effort into the goalkeeper’s hands.
It was a typically cagey affair and it was the visitors who took the lead with the games first moment of quality when they broke down the right from a West attack with a superb cross field pass picking out Taylor Kennerley on the left before a low cross allowed Sam Hind to slot home from close range.
The goal woke West and they came close with their best move of the half on 34 minutes when Nic Evangelinos carved open the 1874 defence before squaring to Ben Steer on the right; his cross found Matty Kay at the edge of the penalty area and his volley cannoned off the crossbar. West went close again on 38 minutes when Evangelinos fired over inside the penalty area from a corner however they went into the break behind.
West came out of the blocks the quicker in the second half and Bailey brought a superb save from goalkeeper Greg Hall one-on-one after a great through ball from Kay on 53 minutes. Steer followed this up by flashing an effort just over from the resulting corner.
West were level on 62 minutes as West pressure was rewarded when Bailey capitalised on an under-hit back pass to round the keeper and slot home for his 5th goal of the season. The West number 9 was clearly delighted with his goal.
However, 1874 re-took the lead on 74 minutes when Jake Parker was left unmarked at the far post from a deep free kick and headed home.
The game was all but ended as a contest minutes later when Richmond Botchey was shown a red card for a challenge on Paul Connors. Despite clearly taking the ball and none of his opponent the referee, surrounded by eight 1874 players, gave Botchey his marching orders.
Whitlock third in stoppage time added salt to the wound as West bowed out of the FA Cup.
