Winnington Explore Every Avenue - But Stymied By Vulcan Bombshells !!

And so to the Moss Farm Leisure Complex in Winnington and a Cheshire League Division One fixture with massive promotion ramifications between Winnington Avenue and Vulcan.

Winnington Avenue YC 94 was established, unsurprisingly, in 1994. Initially playing in the Crewe and District League, where they were champions in 2014/15, Avenue joined the Cheshire League Division Two in 2018. Unable to play at their nearby home venue at Jubilee Fields, requiring extensive modifications, Winnington have taken residence at Moss Farm for their Cheshire League adventures.

Promoted at the end of a Covid ravaged 2019/20 campaign Avenue currently sit second on 60 points with two matches to play - today and next Saturday at Blacon Youth, who can also mathematically still go up.

The modern day Vulcan FC was established in 1955 in Newton-le-Willows as a works team by its employer, Vulcan Foundry, a locomotive builder, and its workers - but historically its roots can be traced back to 1923/24. Vulcan Institute had two ignominious seasons in the Lancashire Combination, finishing next to bottom on both occasions in 1963 and 1964, before disappearing. 

Vulcan Newton joined the Lancashire Combination in 1979 and became a founder member of the North West Counties Football League in 1982 - but it only lasted 2 years. A merger saw the club change name to Vulcan Clock Face before settling on Vulcan FC - all incarnations spending the vast majority of their time plying their trade in the Warrington & District League.

The current Vulcan FC, who were long time leaders of Division 1 this time but now overtaken by promoted Whalley Range, stepped up from the Warrington & District League to the Cheshire League Division Two in 2017. Promoted as runners up in their first campaign Vulcan lie third now, behind on goal difference to Avenue, also with 60 points going into their final game of the season. As for the club badge.....say no more !!

The M56 and off at junction 10, the Stretton Fox on one side, the Partridge on the other (how apposite !), with numberplates BA55 EAD, SW15 SHY and GD 16ERS (gravediggers ?!) alongside Apple Jack's Adventure Farm. I join the A49. past Brookside and Greenwood Fisheries and the Chetwode Arms, then Whitley, Antrobus St Marks Primary School, Little Leigh and into Barnton, home of Hormbrey Butchers. 

Right at Anderton Boat Lift and The Cods Pollocks chippy as I reach Winnington, beyond the cricket club and Winnington Avenue (the street), home of Jubilee Fields, and onto the Moss Farm Leisure Complex, next door to Winnington Park County Primary School.

The complex is the home of the Cheshire FA, Northwich RUFC and Northwich CC, with the 4G caged astroturf surface surrounded by 3 rugby and 2 football pitches, a social club and tall trees - and Winnington Park RUFC in the distance. 

The advertised 1345 kick off proves to be incorrect as we get underway at 1401.

But before the match gets underway the first bombshell.... Vulcan's home game against Blacon Youth on 12 February, which finished 1-1, is overturned due to an ineligible Blacon player. Youth are deducted one point and that, plus a 'failure to fulfil' at Denton Town means Blacon cannot be promoted. Vulcan are awarded the win and move onto 62 points.
 

Avenue are in red and white chequerboard, sponsored by D & R Pipe Fabrications and Vulcan in change grey and yellow, sponsored by Cannon Electrical Services. In overcast conditions, the sun occasionally breaking through, there is a healthy crowd of about 75, swelling to three figures by the end.

Vulcan start much the better, amidst a flurry of free kicks conceded by Avenue. On the quarter hour the Bombers have a header from yet another free kick deflected over the bar, and another header from a corner is just past the post.
 

It takes 35 minutes for Winnington to create a chance - Vulcan's keeper standing tall to parry from the centre forward. No matter though as a minute later Avenue fashion another opportunity and Callum Payne's shot is excellently saved, but from the floor his rebound trickles in. A shot into the side netting nearly doubles the advantage but Winnington lead 1-0 at the break.
 

The second period is not easy on the eye with Avenue using every excuse to waste time, conjuring up multiple injuries, and hanging onto their slender lead. That said their rearguard action is quite magnificent, blunting the Vulcan attack of any clear chances.
 

That is until the second Vulcan bombshell on 69 minutes when a free kick is beautifully delivered into the box and volleyed home by Scott Fisher. It's all Vulcan now, but Avenue regain their defensive resilience, and frustration boils over into a flare up, which appears to include a Vulcan head butt - the referee does nothing other than award the away team a free kick for the original wild challenge.
 

With Vulcan going for the win, and promotion, that leaves gaps at the back and Avenue create chances on the counter attack, three wastefully spurned and one cynically eliminated with the away custodian marooned on the half way line....
 
That brings us to 8 minutes of injury time, and in the 100th minute Avenue's keeper pulls off a stunning point blank save to keep the scores level. Ultimately it means Whalley Range are crowned as champions and Winnington need to win at Blacon next Saturday in the last league game of the season to be promoted - otherwise Vulcan will erupt and go up....

Vulcan Bombers At The Death After Hurricanes Force !!

And so what should have been the leafy Cheshire environs of Holmes Chapel doesn't happen - the original fixture postponed at the last minute and the rearranged game moved to Middlewich Town FC. Tonight's match is a Cheshire League Division One clash, 'The Bomber Derby', between Holmes Chapel Hurricanes and Vulcan.

Holmes Chapel Hurricanes FC was founded in 2000 by Chris Rogers as a vehicle to enable his son and friends to play football. Initially playing local league football, and based at Holmes Chapel Leisure Centre, The Hurricanes moved up to the Cheshire League in 2018, finishing next to bottom of League 2 in their first term. 

After the Covid aborted 2019/20 season, last year's curtailed campaign saw Chapel place 4th of 11 which was sufficient to secure promotion to Division One - where they sit 5th of 15 with 39 points from 22 games.

The modern day Vulcan FC was established in 1955 in Newton-le-Willows as a works team by its employer, Vulcan Foundry, a locomotive builder, and its workers - but historically its roots can be traced back to 1923/24. Vulcan Institute had two ignominious seasons in the Lancashire Combination, finishing next to bottom on both occasions in 1963 and 1964, before disappearing. 

Vulcan Newton joined the Lancashire Combination in 1979 and became a founder member of the North West Counties Football League in 1982 - but it only lasted 2 years. A merger saw the club change name to Vulcan Clock Face before settling on Vulcan FC - all incarnations spending the vast majority of their time plying their trade in the Warrington & District League.

The current Vulcan FC, who were deposed as league leaders of Division 1 on Saturday by Whalley Range, stepped up from the Warrington & District League to the Cheshire League Division Two in 2017. Promoted as runners up in their first campaign Vulcan have 53 points from 23 matches this time - second place but Winnington Avenue 94 and Blacon Youth have sufficient games in hand to overhaul them. As for the club badge.....

So with unexpected rain falling, it's beyond Dunham Forest Golf & Country Club and bypassing Dunham Massey, scene of Bruno Fernandes' car crash today. Onto the A556, The Windmill at Pickmere, Tabley House, Dove Barn Weddings, The Smoker at Plumley, the Weaver's Whistle and Birches Remembrance Park & Crematorium before I hit the roadworks at the Roberts Bakery roundabout in Rudheath. Car registrations tonight are 247 DR (pandemic related ?), T111 DUN and SIIILYS.

Left onto the A530 and past Croft Lodge Kennels brings me to the outskirts of Middlewich and Finney's Lane, home of Middlewich Town FC. The ground is now surrounded by a new housing estate, a massive crane in the background at the far end and trees and a church opposite the main side.

Inside is a mini astroturf pitch, clubhouse with beer garden and the covered stand with two rows of plastic seats - entry via stairs and then latched doors ! A railed walkway encircles the pitch and there is a small covered shelter agin the away dugout; there is also a separate entrance to the ground at the town end. The crowd tops out at a dozen, give or take the odd dogwalker....

Holmes Chapel are in red and black, Vulcan in change grey and orange as the match kicks off at 6.30pm. The Hurricanes have much the better of the opening stages, Charlie Rodick with a one on one and then a loose back pass creating another clear opportunity - on both occasions Vulcan's keeper stands tall and saves well.

However Chapel take the lead on 27 minutes when Ally Harrison's cross is headed home by Tom Fagan-Hall, with the away custodian nowhere. That lead is doubled on 42, with Harrison's shot from outside the area dived over by the keeper. Vulcan do start to create chances before the break but half time sees the Hurricanes lead 2-0.

The second period is characterised by Holmes Chapel's organisation and graft, which restricts Vulcan to one clear chance - expertly saved by Jason Currie - and long range efforts that come to naught.

A vivid sunset heralds an astonishing last five minutes plus stoppages. The Hurricanes are reduced to ten men on 85 minutes due to a sinbinning for dissent; the Vulcan corner after is headed onto the underside of the bar and scrapes in to make it 2-1.

Two minutes later and shambolic Vulcan defending results in their keeper's third mistake, pulling down a home attacker for a penalty. Statuesque from the spot kick and Sam Hatcher makes it 3-1.

Then a minute into injury time Vulcan win a contentious free kick which is bombed in and falls into the corridor of uncertainty and is touched in. Two minutes on a Hail Mary bomb finds a Vulcan head, over the stranded Currie, and it's 3-3 !

That's how it ends - an unbelievable last five minutes providing a sinbinning, a penalty and four goals ☺. Vulcan go back top by a point but have played two games more than Whalley Range....