Sandbach United ran out 2-0 victors over Northwich Victoria in the last friendly before the league restart.

The Ramblers hosted their fellow Cheshire-based side on a cold, windy afternoon in the North of England, with a strong chill in the air as the ball was first kicked. The visitors started the stronger side and forced Danny Hamlett into a fine save after two minutes as he tipped over a looping header.

Kieran Garner-Knapper looked lively from the first whistle and caused a heap of problems for his fullback and had his first shot after 14 minutes but it was high and wide. Scott Evans then struck the frame of the goal two minutes later with a wicked free-kick that left the Vics goalkeeper rooted to the spot.

After seeing two good chances blocked by the defence, Knapper got his deserved goal in the 28th minute from a Declan O'Riordan assist. A deep corner from Evans was kept in by O'Riordan, who spotted the run of Knapper at the back post. The tricky winger expertly met the cross on the volley to send the ball into the back of the net, almost ripping through it given the power on the strike.

Despite being a 'friendly', tempers were beginning to flare towards the end of the first half and boiled over in the 40th minute when a clash between a Vics player and Kieran O'Connell had to be separated by Scott Evans, who then almost was involved in a scrap himself. From the restart, the Northwich #7 saw Evans chasing a ball and flew in with a high, studs up challenge into Evans' knee and received a straight red card.

In the second half, the Ramblers continued to press for a second, and thought they had got it in the 55th minute. Tom Wakefield had looked lively since his half-time introduction and tucked away a spilled Bobbie McDonnell shot but was adjudged to have been slightly ahead of the defender, and the goal was chalked off.

Sandbach did get their second after 72 minutes and Wakefield was involved yet again, but this time as provider. Lovely build-up play involving Sean Moscrop and Callum Evans resulted in Wakefield receiving the ball on the edge of the box, but he unselfishly passed to an unmarked Jack Hart, who swept the ball beautifully into the top right corner.

Northwich thought they had halved the deficit in the 87th minute when their striker latched onto a cute through ball and slotted it past Hamlett, but the linesman correctly flagged for offside. The visitors came close again in injury time but O'Connell, who had been superb throughout the match in the heart of defence, blocked a goal-bound shot before O'Riordan cleared the ball and the full-time whistle was blown.

Sandbach will now prepare for the season's restart on Saturday 19th December, travelling to Maine Road in the NWCFL Division One South.