Northwich Victoria 4

Winsford United 0

Mid Cheshire Senior

Cup semi-final

Wednesday, April 4

BOTH of these relegation-threatened teams could have done without this game, and it showed, writes Nick Smith.

This semi-final had all the excitement and effort of a training ground practice match, and generated about as much atmosphere.

Compare Wednesday's pitiful attendance of less than 200 to 80 years ago, when a roof collapsed at the Drill Field because of the hordes of people desperate to see these two clubs in action.

But if you think this competition has lost its local lustre, last year's semi-final drew a crowd of nearly 1,000 for Witton against Vics.

So it's not that Mid Cheshire teams don't take it seriously, it's just that this match was never billed as any sort of a contest.

Although it's only as recently as 1998 that Winsford won the cup by beating Vics at the Drill Field, this one was always more likely to be a repeat of the 6-1 hammering Northwich handed out in the final a year later.

But in the grand scheme of things, the result was of little concern to the two managers. Steve Shaughnessy, without the luxury of having a reserve side to pick from, was pleased that his players avoided injury, although their lack of bite in the tackle was probably due to the gulf in class rather than the Blues taking it easy.

Northwich boss Keith Alexander had plenty of seats to choose from for his customary first half watching brief from the stand, but opted for the increased leg room of the Press box to check out who of his makeshift side could seriously push for a regular first team place.

Richard Mitchell couldn't have done much more for his cause, bagging a hat-trick, while young Michael Houghton showed promising flashes of skill on the left wing.

If Alexander was keeping an eye on Winsford's 18-goal forward Danny Worthington, as many suspect he was when he went to watch Winsford at Congleton last month, he will have mixed feeling about wanting to add to him the list of players he has upgraded form UniBond one.

Worthington was the only Winsford player who looked like he could cut it at Conference level, his turn of pace and quick feet often bemusing Dean Walling and Steve Walsh.

But after beating this pair in the 20th minute and making a clear opening, he was denied by Malcolm Rigby's agility. Two more good chances would follow in the second half, but Worthington let himself down by failing on both occasions.

There were no such problems for Mitchell, who hit the net with two near post strikes from Graham Lewis crosses in the 2nd and 11th minutes.

Peter Holcroft blasted in the third, and best, goal after 26 minutes before Mitchell completed the scoring by stabbing in Gregg Blundell's knock-down on the stroke of half-time.

Vics: Rigby, Bailey, Walsh (Beard 78), Walling, Davis, Challender (Bates 78), Lewis, Holcroft, Mitchell, Blundell, Houghton. Not used: Burke.

Winsford: Pierce, Pollitt, Edwards (Gwinnett 45), Burns, Riley, Mayes (Tulloch 45), Pitts, Langley, Worthington, Shaughnessy (Greaves 45), Scully. Attendance: 166. Goals: Mitchell 2, 11, 45, Holcroft 26. Men of the Match: Graham Lewis (Vics); Danny Worthington (Winsford).