Two match turning moments cost United dear this afternoon as their winning run ended against in form Victoria. An ugly slip from keeper Billy Turley gifted former United striker Lee Steele the only goal of the game, and a red card for defender Luke Foster added salt to the wound in the second half.

With Mickey Howard back in the starting line up and a three game winning streak behind them United started in spirited fashion despite playing into a very strong wind in the first half. In form Matt Green sent a shot just wide on four minutes but just as they were building nicely they went behind to the most inevitable goal of the season.

There wasn't much danger when Michael Byrne rolled a pass into the United penalty area, and as Luke Foster and Barry Quinn waited to clear there was a loud call from keeper Billy Turley. The defenders left it, Turley slid to gather the ball but somehow it escaped from his grasp and slithered out from under his body straight to the feet of Lee Steele, all on his own with the goal at his mercy. Steele, of course, always scores against his former club and duly rolled the ball into the gaping net.

The Vics are the division's form side and were playing with a confidence way beyond their lowly league position, but United didn't let that soft opener affect them too much and were back on the offensive soon after as Trainer poked a shot just wide on sixteen minutes after a nice passing move and Richards back-headed just over two minutes later. A superb ball from Adam Murray put Trainer in behind the visitors defence again on 27 only for keeper Connett to save at his feet and United were trying their best to build the tempo against a Victoria side doing all they could to take time out of the game and slow the match down.

They managed to do that so successfully that the heat went out of the game completely for the last fifteen minutes of the first period, and four minutes of Abbey Press injury time brought only heavy rain, grey skies and a tenth booking of the season for  Foster which would have kept him out of the game at Weymouth next Saturday and the trip to Torquay three days later even without the red card that followed.

Changes were called for and on came Michael Blackwood and Craig McAllister for Jamie Hand and Justin Richards.

Turley made partial amends with a very good save from a Darryn Stamp shot from the edge of the box three minutes into the second half, and United were then denied a penalty when the bemasked Michael Welch used McAllister as a stepladder to head clear a minute later. One of those 'a foul anywhere else on the pitch' moments. Good word that, 'bemasked'.

United were finally on the front foot, but on 56 minutes the world turned further upside down as Foster's day took another turn for the worse. Northwich right winger Jamie Mullan had been a nuisance all afternoon, and was once again floating down the right wing as Foster came to challenge. Contact was minimal, if any, and ref Adam Watts caused confusion by showing Foster only a yellow then realizing his error and following it with the red card. Here's the first of many IF's for the afternoon: would he have shown the second yellow if he'd remembered that Foster was already booked?

It angered the home fans, especially when Mr Watts then turned down claims for fouls and possible penalties as the ten boys in Yellow tried to turn it around. They turned up the pressure despite the man disadvantage, and a Howard shot on 70 was saved at the near post by Connett and confirmed that the game was still there despite the scoreline and the numbers being against The U's. McAllister whistled a shot over on 71, sub Yemi Odubade's goalbound effort hit a defender on 73 and a Day free kick smashed into the wall as we reached the last ten minutes, but Northwich were stubborn, mean and awkward opponents and were not to be denied.

Mr Watts then continued his curious afternoon by sending assistant manager Mickey Lewis to the stand for something or other and then booking Anaclet for even less. We don't know why. Really we don't.

We can also only summise what would have happened in an eleven against eleven game but United did spend the final twenty minutes camped in the Northwich half and were the only side that looked like scoring.

Instead they came away with nothing despite a stirring revival and will reflect on a couple of moments which turned the match.

Att: 4,673

Away:116