Nantwich Town 1
Prescot Cables 2
League (NW Counties League Div 1)

Match Report

After three straight victories, defeat at the hands of 10-man Prescot was deeply disappointing for the Dabbers. Nigel Gleghorn and Wes Wilkinson went close before three penalties within the space of 5 minutes either side of the interval turned the game dramatically.
Wilkinson used his pace to bear down on goal only to be bundled off the ball by Andy Flood inside the box. The Prescot defender went into the referee’s notebook but Gleghorn’s tame spotkick low down to the left was turned round the post by Paul Dahl.
The Nantwich boss made amends only seconds later, though, when his goalbound header from the resultant corner was handled off the line by Tommy Baker. This time the referee showed red and Gareth Brookes fired home from the penalty spot to give Nantwich a 1-0 lead at the interval.
It was 10-man Cables who came out firing on all cylinders, though, and within two minutes of the re-start referee Kevin Radcliffe was pointing to the penalty spot yet again. Lyndon Hall was harshly adjudged to handle and Kevin Garforth’s spot kick gave Stuart Heeps no chance.
From then on, the Dabbers struggled to mqke the extra man count but two gilt-edged chances fell to Gareth Brookes who failed to hit the target from close range. The visitors made Nantwich pay when, on 73 minutes, Garforth slipped the offside trap and slid the ball under the advancing Heeps.
The Merseysiders then closed the game down and it was frustrating that the Dabbers weren’t able to create another decent chance. In fact, Prescot could have added to their tally when Mike O’Donnal turned and struck a hard drive just over the bar.
Prescot are a strong side who are bound to be challenging for the title but the Dabbers will be disappointed not to have got something out of the game.
Nantwich: Heeps, Travis, Melling, Packham, McVey, Gleghorn, Thomasson (O’Leary 64mins), Hall, Wilkinson (Bailey 78mins), Brookes (Dawson 85mins), Hackney. Booked: McVey (44mins), Bailey (89mins)
Prescot: Dahl, Holmes, T Baker, Clark, Flood, O’Donnal, Garforth, Taylor, Taupey, C Baker (Ellis 72mins), Riley. Booked: Flood (42mins) Sent Off: T Baker (43mins)
Star Man: Stuart Heeps – Dominated his penalty area; no chance with the goals

Match report written by Michael Chatwin