NORTHWICH Victoria were pegged back by Winsford United and ended up drawing 1-1 in the North West Counties League Premier Division, writes Pete Tonge.

Saul Henderson’s strike in the 59th minute was cancelled out by Sam Marshall 10 minutes from the end of normal time.

The first half started uneventfully, and continued that way for most of the rest of it.

The first chance didn't come until the 14th minute when Vics won a corner after a good interchange between Brad Lynch and captain Joe Camozzi. The corner was swung in, and met by the head of Brandon Barski, but the ball went wide of the post.

In the 30th minute, Lynch wriggled his way through two defenders in the box, and appeared to be clipped but the referee was having none of it and waved play on.

Three minutes later, it was Winsford’s turn to nearly get on the scoresheet as a header was cleared off the line by Vics.

The second half started in torrential rain, and Vics started with more purpose.

Henderson had a header straight at the keeper in the 54th minute, then a minute later, Vics won a free kick 20 yards out. Aaron Burns stepped up, but his shot was just over the bar.

As conditions worsened, Vics were piling on the pressure and had three chances in the 55th minute during a goalmouth scramble.

Firstly Lynch's shot was cleared off the line, followed by Camozzi's effort being blocked before Henderson's shot was again blocked and cleared.

Vics did take the lead in the 60th minute when Lynch escaped down the left, crossed the ball low across the box, Burns just failed to make contact, but Henderson was behind to control the ball and fire a shot home past the hapless keeper.

Winsford responded well, and in the 64th minute, a free kick was floated into the Vics box and met by a Winsford head but the ball hit the bar and bounced away.

Two minutes later, it really should have been level, as when one-on-one with the keeper Winsford put it well over the top.

In the 75th minute, Rob Henry got down the right and put a great cross in for Burns to volley towards the net, but it was well blocked by a Winsford defender.

Three minutes later, and it was Adam Sumner's turn to strike a long-range effort which the keeper did excellently to tip over the top.

Winsford somewhat fortuitously got their equaliser as a hopeful 25 yards shot from Marshall seemed to have been saved by Mike Hale, but somehow the ball slipped out of his grasp and rolled over the line.

Hale partly made up for this error three minutes later as he dived to his right to tip a Winsford free-kick around the post.

Vics: Hale, Henry, Clarke P, Barski, Sumner, Camozzi, Clarke M (McGrath 85'), Potts, Lynch (Powell 65'), Burns (Wilkes 81'), Henderson. Unused subs: Marie.