Northwich Vics 1

Leigh RMI 1

Nationwide Conference

Tuesday, December 26

IN their first game since going out of the FA Cup, Vics wasted little time in proving that their minds are still firmly fixed on Conference survival.

It took just two minutes for them to take the lead against Leigh, although the remaining 88 would hit home the message that there's no escaping the harsh realities of league football.

Mark Devlin was the man who pounced with the kind of rasping drive we all know he's capable of, beating David Felgate after a clearing header reached him on the edge of the box.

But if only he could produce this kind of thing more often, especially at the opposite end of the game when he and blew Vics' last chance to take the three points.

Felgate presented Devlin with his opportunity this time but the midfielder couldn't cap an inspirational performance with his second, snatching at it as it dropped to him.

Leigh, impressive since promotion from the UniBond Premier in the summer, levelled Devlin's goal in the 36th minute when some trickery by winger Ian Monk bemused a Vics defence again shorn of Steve Davis, and Steve Jones took his chance to coolly shoot past Lance Key.

From this point, Leigh, boosted by getting back into the game, looked the more threatening, while Vics showed how much they missed injured top scorer Gary Fletcher by producing little of note up front.

Monk hit the post early in the second half and the rebound was fired back by Mark Morrell, whose shot was blocked on the line by Mark Barnard.

Although Vics held on, the general pattern of the match fired a warning that going to Hilton Park for the return game six days later would be even tougher for them - as it proved.

Vics: Key, Bailey, Robertson, Barnard, Burke, Ellis, Norris (Walsh 26), Simpson, (Cooke 71), Devlin, Poland, Mike. Attendance: 1,208.