Allan Tait has vowed to prove his critics wrong after bringing his longest ever goal drought to an end.

The former Crawley striker has been jeered by a small section of his own fans at Priory Lane and written off on the club’s internet forum after failing to find the net for 13 consecutive games.

That barren run saw Tait relegated to the bench for the trip to the Victoria Stadium on Saturday but he answered his doubters in the best possible way by coming on to score a vital late winner.

It was his first goal since finding the net in the 6-3 defeat at Oxford United in the opening week of the season and sealed a precious three points against one of the teams Borough will surely need to finish above if they are to survive in Blue Square premier.

Tait said: “It was a bit of a six pointer so it was an important goal, both for the club and for me personally.

“I’ve never had a barren spell like this before. I don't think I have gone more than three or four games without a goal before wherever I have been in my career.

“As a striker when you are scoring you are flying but when you are not it is a bit of a test of character but I would like to think I have come out of the other side of that now.

“I have heard the criticism but it is water off a duck’s back. Some of the younger players might have crumbled under that but it doesn’t affect me.

“No one wants to score goals more than me and hopefully now I can kick on. I think my general play has been all right but as a striker you are judged on goals so I need to build on this.”

Tait’s cool finish under goalkeeper Michael Jones after Andy Atkin’s clever flick had played him in was a rare moment of quality in an otherwise scrappy game.

The other came in the 27th minute when Paul Armstrong expertly placed a volley across Jones and inside the far post after Matt Crabb had picked him out on the edge of the area.

That was about it, though, as the rest of the match descended into a war of attrition with the ball spending more time in the air than it did on the ground.

Things weren’t helped by referee Darren Bond who took an instant disliking to Northwich’s physical style and ended up awarding free kicks on average every three minutes.

He also booked four players, ordered Vics assistant manager John Durnin to the stands and harshly sent off Northwich midfielder Matty Crowell with 20 minutes to go for a second yellow card.

At that point the home side were perhaps looking narrow favourites to win after Borough had suffered a triple whammy early in the second half.

Jonny Allan had already missed a good chance when Peter Winn crossed for Aaron Burns to slide in the equaliser in the 54th minute and then Borough lost skipper Armstrong to an ankle injury which is likely to rule him out of tomorrow’s Setanta Shield clash with Ebbsfleet and Saturday’s FA Cup tie with Barrow.

As Armstrong was being stretched down the tunnel Ben Austin headed in Matt Crabb’s free kick but the linesman flagged for handball despite later admitting he was unclear who had committed the offence and even what side the player belonged to.

Bond’s day got even worse when he waved away appeals for a penalty with ten minutes to go after Lee Hook clearly hauled Winn to the ground in the box and three minutes later Tait popped up with the winner.

Boss Garry Wilson said: “Allan has had to put up with some unfair stick so that will give him a real boost.

“We would probably have been happy with a point away from home so to get all three was fantastic. That is four wins from our last five games now so hopefully we are starting to gain some momentum.”

Vics boss caretaker boss Mike Marsh quit after the game.

Northwich: Jones, Aspin (Richards, 85), Welch, Roberts, Grand, Riley (Mullan, 61), Crowell, Flynn, Winn, Allan, Burns (Horrocks, 73). Subs not used: Tynan, Moore.

Booked: Flynn, Crowell, Welch, Grand.

Sent off: Crowell.

Eastbourne: Hook, Austin, Jenkins, Baker, Osborne, Harding (Harkin, 85), Smart, Armstrong (Wormull, 57), M Crabb, Atkin, N Crabb (Tait, 79). Subs not used: Lovett, Taylor.

Booked: Osborne.