​Atherstone were looking to continue their momentum with an eye-catching win against 1874 Northwich to reach the play off final. It’s been an impressive season for the Adders at step five who finished in 3rd with 74 points and 23 wins from 34 matches. They finished the regular season strongly with four wins from their last five league matches.

The Warwickshire side have built on last season’s 8th place finish under manager Mitch Thomson who has done a good job of turning them into a promotion contender. The front two of Lewis Collins and Ryan Harkin have been clinical in front of goal and have played a key part in their play off push.    

1874 Northwich were looking to build on their encouraging win against OJM Black Country last weekend and get a statement win to reach the play off final. The Green Army have been a tough side to beat throughout the season with only six losses from 34 matches going into the play offs.

The Cheshire side have been one of the turnaround stories of the season at step five. The visitors have bounced back from relegation from the Northern Premier League (Division One West) at the end of last season to challenge for promotion under manager Chris Herbert.   

​Starting line ups

Atherstone’s starting line up included Finn Osborn starting in goal and Connor Gudger captaining the team at centre back. The formation looked like a 4-4-2 with a front two of Ryan Harkin and Lewis Collins being supported by Lewis Noon and Chris Cowley on the wings.    

There were two changes from their match against Wolverhampton Casuals last weekend with Tom Healy coming into the team and playing in central midfield alongside Tom Smith.  

The starting line up for 1874 included Jack Atkinson starting in goal and Matt Fenton captaining the team at centre back. The formation looked like a 5-3-2 with a front two of Eden Bailey and Shaun Weaver being supported by John McGrath in the number ten role.

There were two changes from their match against OJM Black Country last weekend with Jacson Coppack coming into the team and playing in central midfield. 

​First Half

1874 Northwich settled into the match well and were looking to cause problems early on.

The Greens had a good chance to take the lead inside the opening twenty minutes when a well worked free kick from the edge of the box found Matt Fenton at the back post. He found some space before heading it across goal to Eden Bailey who couldn’t quite get his header on target.

​Atherstone were working hard off the ball to contain the attacking threat of 1874 with Tom Smith doing well to break up the play from midfield. They also pressed high up the pitch to stop the visitors playing out from the back and looked organised defensively.  

The visitors were cheered on by a passionate away following which helped them build some momentum in the opening half an hour. They looked a threat going forward with Eden Bailey and Liam Fitzpatrick making some promising runs into the final third. The only thing missing was that final ball, but they were moving the ball about well.

1874’s best chance of the first half fell to Mark Jones on the edge of the box from a set piece. He had some space to get a shot on goal but couldn’t quite connect with it to make it 1-0 in the 41st minute.  

Atherstone were able to build into the match as the first half went on and started to look a threat in the final fifteen minutes. Finn Osborn read the danger well in goal and came out for dangerous crosses to help them settle into it. Niall Rowe also played well at centre back and helped take the pressure off at 0-0.  

Their best chance to take the lead came when Chris Cowley had a shot from distance well saved by Jack Atkinson who managed to tip it over the top right corner to keep it goalless going into half time.

Second Half

The second half was understandably scrappy with the clear-cut chances in front of goal limited.

Atherstone started positively and were looking to take the game to 1874 and cause them some problems at the back. They had a brilliant chance to make it 1-0 when Lewis Collins played a well weighted ball to Ryan Harkin who beat the offside trap and ran through on goal. He got into the box before having a shot go wide of the right-hand post on 52 minutes.

It was the clearest chance the Adders had up to that point and was a trademark Atherstone attack which has worked so well throughout the season. Lewis Collins and Ryan Harkin have that link up in the final third which has made the different for Atherstone in tight matches. In a close play off match, that miss felt like it could be huge.

Both teams were effectively cancelling each other out throughout the second half, and it felt like a play off match. Mark Jones was having an impressive game for 1874 at centre back and stepped up for the Greens when it mattered. He did well to clear the ball away from danger and lead by example for the visitors yesterday.

Eden Bailey was working tirelessly up front to help 1874 get up the pitch throughout the second half and chasing up loose balls into the final third. He looked a threat up front for the Greens and got into some dangerous positions. Similar to the first half, the only thing lacking for the visitors was that final ball into the box.

Atherstone were pushing hard for a winner in the final ten minutes and created some notable chances in front of goal. Ryan Quinn had a shot from the edge of the box deflect off Mark Jones and hit the crossbar in the 81st minutes. A well worked corner late on found Connor Gudger at the front post who headed wide in stoppage time.  

1874 capitalised and were clinical in the box to score a dramatic winner in the 96th minute. Tom Morris made a committed run down the left-hand side before playing a floating cross to substitute Matt Woolley who headed into the bottom right corner to spark jubilant scenes in the away end.

It was a heartbreaking loss from an Atherstone point of view who created some good chances to at least take the game to penalties. Full Credit to 1874 though who defended well throughout and took their best chance when it mattered to reach the play off final next Saturday.

​The Greens will play Shifnal Town who beat Brocton 3-2 in the other semi final for a place in the Northern Premier League next weekend.  

Full Time

Atherstone will be gutted by the result yesterday following an impressive season in the premier division. They competed well with 1874 Northwich throughout and just fell short. They showed character in the second half to take the game to the visitors but just couldn’t find a goal.

None the less, they should be proud of their season and to finish 3rd in a competitive premier division is a brilliant achievement. The play offs can be harsh, and it was a cruel way to go out.

Despite the loss yesterday, it’s been a positive season for Atherstone who will be hoping to go again come August.

1874 Northwich put in a brilliant away performance to reach the final. The Cheshire side started on the front foot in the first half to settle into it and stayed in the match throughout the second half to have a chance of winning it late on.

The most encouraging thing from the visitors was how well they defended yesterday against a quality Atherstone side. The back three of Matt Fenton, Mark Jones and Tom Morris stepped up to the pressure and did well to help clear the danger.

Teams that are well organised at the back tend to do well in the play offs and its now back-to-back clean sheets for the Greens who have a good chance against Shifnal if they can keep it tight defensively.                         

FT score: Atherstone Town 0-1 1874 Northwich

Man of the match: Mark Jones (1874 Northwich)

Match report written by Rhys Beardmore for the Midland Football League

​OJM Black Country were looking to finish their season strongly with an eye-catching result against play-off side 1874 Northwich. The hosts were a team in form going into this weekend with four wins from their last six matches to boost their hopes of a top half finish.

It’s been an encouraging season for OJM following promotion from division one last season. They have been competitive throughout the season with only twelve losses from 33 matches going into yesterday. The club have established themselves in the premier division under manager Adam Younis and avoided any worries of finishing in the bottom two.      

1874 Northwich have been one of the standout teams in the premier division this season and were looking to get a momentum building win for the play offs next weekend. The Green Army have been a welcome addition to the MFL Premier Division and were looking to bounce back from Tuesday’s 4-1 loss at Dudley Town.  

Their away form has been impressive this season with only two losses from sixteen matches going into yesterday. The Cheshire side have a good following on the road, and it was more of the same against OJM.

The Greens are tough to break down with only 24 goals conceded away from home which could serve them well in the play offs.   

​Starting line ups

OJM’s starting line up included Tom Clap starting in goal and Brian Smikle captaining the team from holding midfield. The formation looked like a 4-2-3-1 with Leslie Omorodion playing up front and being supported by Michael Nelson and Reece Morris on the wings.

There were two changes from their match against Atherstone Town last weekend with Steven Leslie coming into the team and playing at left-back.  

The starting line-up for 1874 Northwich included Jack Atkinson starting in goal and Matt Fenton captaining the team at centre back. The formation looked like a 5-3-2 with a front two of Eden Bailey and Shaun Weaver being supported by Lewis Nolan in the number ten role.

There were four changes from their match against Dudley Town in mid-week with Mark Jones coming back into the team and playing as part of a back three alongside Matt Fenton and Tom Morris. 

​First Half

The opening stages of the match were free flowing with chances for both sides. OJM had a half chance when a well worked corner found Reece Morris on the edge of the box who put his shot wide of the left-hand post in the 3rd minute.

1874 capitalised and were ruthless in the box to take a 1-0 lead after five minutes. John McGrath beat a few players down the left-hand side before squaring it to Ben Guest who calmly finished into the bottom right corner. It was a well worked goal from the visitors to settle into the match.

The Green Army were arguably the better side throughout the first half and looked to build on their 1-0 lead. Lewis Nolan found some space in the box before putting a shot wide of the top right corner in the 18th minute.

OJM gradually grew into the match as the first half went on and showed character to stay in it at 1-0 down. Callum Nimmo was reading the danger well at centre back with Leslie Omorodion offering a threat up front to help them get up the pitch.

​The hosts looked a threat from a couple of set pieces into the box and had a good chance for an equaliser from a throw in into the box. A long throw found Michael Nelson at the back post who couldn’t quite connect with the ball to send it goalwards on 29 minutes.  

The visitors looked well organised off the ball throughout the first half with Ben Guest doing well to track back and break up the play from midfield. Mark Jones also impressed at centre back and did well to clear dangerous balls into the box. The work rate off the ball should give 1874 supporters hope of causing an upset against Atherstone next weekend.

They worked well as a team in this match with every player knowing when to press the OJM players and close the space.   

OJM’s best opportunity for an equaliser came when Leslie Omoridion found some space from the edge of the box before putting a shot wide of the left-hand post. He did well to hold the ball up for OJM yesterday and made some promising runs into the final third to cause some problems for 1874.

​None the less, the Cheshire side were fairly comfortable at 1-0 up and were managing the game well against a tough OJM side throughout the first half.  

Second Half

The second half was mainly scrappy with not that many clear-cut chances in front of goal.

1874 Northwich started on the front foot and were looking to seal the game and make it 2-0 early on. The visitors were cheered on by a brilliant away support that came down the M6 to get behind the team yesterday.

Full credit to the away supporters who travelled a 70-mile trip from Northwich to Kings Norton for this match.   

The Green Army were rewarded when 1874 found a second thanks to a well worked corner. A floated delivery by Ben Guest found Matt Fenton who headed in at the back post in the middle of the second half.

OJM showed character and kept going at 2-0 down in search of a way back into the match. They were moving the ball about well with Casey Collins looking a threat from attacking midfield and getting into some dangerous positions. The only thing lacking was that final ball to stretch the 1874 defence.

1874 Northwich manager Chris Herbert made an astute substitution and took off Mark Jones in preparation for the play offs next Saturday. He’s been an ever present for the Greens this season with 35 starts and could be a key player for them next weekend.

The visitors were comfortable to play on the counter late on and looked to break off the shoulder thanks to the pace of substitute Joel Jones and Shaun Weaver up front.  

There was a late chance to make it 3-0 when Shaun Weaver had a header at the back post well saved by Tom Clap in the OJM goal.

None the less, both teams cancelled each other out in the final twenty minutes of the match with 1874 getting their 11th away win of the season. 

Full Time

The visitors put in a professional performance yesterday against OJM to get the three points. It’s been an incredible turnaround for 1874 this season at step five following relegation from the NPL (Division One West) last time out.

A lot of credit goes to the coaching staff of Chris Herbert and Steve Burr for getting the right players in at the start of the season and building a positive culture.

The Greens feel like a team that could really challenge in the play offs backed by a passionate away following. It’s going to be difficult with away trips to Atherstone and potentially Shifnal, but they have a chance if it all clicks.

OJM have had a brilliant season with a top half finish following promotion from step six last season.

To have only thirteen losses from thirty-four matches is impressive in their first season at this level.

It feels like a team that has the potential to build and challenge for the play offs next season if it all goes right during the summer.              
FT score: OJM Black Country 0-2 1874 Northwich

Man of the match: Ben Guest (1874 Northwich)

Match report written by Rhys Beardmore for the Midland Football League