Winsford Utd 2 Marine 4

UniBond Premier Division

By NICK SMITH

ALTHOUGH there was no repeat of the floodlight failure which halted the original fixture, Winsford still suffered a complete blackout last Wednesday night.

The Blues' defence was all at sea as the in-form Mariners coasted to their fourth straight league win.

Roly Howard's fleet invaded Barton Stadium to mirror their 4-2 triumph at Bishop Auckland the previous Saturday.

The visitors only burst into life after going behind, but when they did the results were devastating.

An inswinging corner from Joe Connor on 23 minutes sailed over all the waiting heads and straight into Kevin O'Brien's net. A bizarre first goal for Connor but Winsford led 1-0.

The applauding fans, braving the cold conditions, had barely put their hands back in their pockets when Ian Morgan swivelled in the box to fire an immediate reply.

This inspired Marine to break into full throttle and race into half-time with a two-goal cushion.

Three minutes before the break, Dave Richardson was given the freedom of the penalty area to control a corner and shoot into the roof of the net before Rick Bainbridge's deflected volley made it 3-1.

Winsford have not managed three goals in a home league game all season, so this collapse presented them with an uphill struggle made harder by a toothless attack.

However, in the opening minute of the second half corner-king Connor landed a teaser onto the head of Gary Thomas, whose powerful near-post flick restored hope.

New boy Michael Moore, signed from Altrincham on the day of the game, came close to equalising, but O'Brien grasped his goal-bound effort, the last that Winsford managed.

There was a lingering feeling that the result was wrapped up by half-time and unmarked Andy Cavanagh put the final seal on victory with a diving header on 67 minutes.

Winsford: Oakes, Clegg, German, Came (Hibbert 71), Talbot, Wheeler (Booth 82), Thomas, Bermingham, Moore (Aspinall 70), Steele, Connor.

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