Nantwich Town 2
Salford City 2
League (NW Counties League Div 1)

Match Report

A depleted Nantwich side held fancied Salford City to an entertaining draw with a determined performance at Jackson Avenue. Player boss Nigel Gleghorn was amongst six regulars missing but the Dabbers were still a match for their visitors.
After a bright start by Nantwich, Salford gradually took control and were denied by Stuart Heeps saving low down at the post from a Chris Willcock header. The visitors did go ahead a minute before the break, though, when danger man Willcock applied a quality finish to wrong foot Heeps after slipping the offside trap.
Nantwich came out strongly after half time and turned the game on its head thanks to the efforts of highly-rated Simon Hackney. On 48 minutes, the Nantwich winger got on the end of a Mark Gardiner free kick but his flick header looped just over the bar with Phil Melville stranded. Just before the hour mark, Nantwich did draw level as Hackney latched on to a deft lay off from Jon Dawson to supply a cross for Dave Thomasson to head home. Then, seven minutes later, Hackney’s electrifying pace shredded the Salford defence and, from his low cross, Melford Knight side-footed Nantwich in front.
A rattled Salford tried to get back into the match and John Borg wasted an opportunity to level after a mix up in the home defence. Martin Packham and Mark Maguire, back at Nantwich on a loan spell from Northwich Victoria, held firm in the centre of defence but five minutes from time Willcock made it 2-2 after Heeps was only able to parry an effort from Mattie Hughes.
Nantwich Heeps, Hall, Gardiner, Packham, Maguire, Vickers, Thomasson, Knight, Dawson, Hough (Bailey, 86), Hackney. Booked – Hough (38mins), Packham (63mins).
Salford Melville, Porter, McNicholl, Greenhalgh, Chadwick (Brown,70), Borg, Brown, F Vaughan, Willcock, G Vaughan, Hughes. Booked – Borg (55mins)
Attendance 110
Star Man Dave Thomasson Capped a determined midfield display with Nantwich’s equaliser

Match report written by Michael Chatwin