Nantwich Town 0
Atherton LR 2
League (NW Counties League Div 1)

Match Report

The Jackson Avenue jinx struck again as Nantwich crashed to their first league defeat in 11 games against relegation haunted Atherton.
Whilst the Dabbers are near invincible on their travels, they have consistently been unable to produce the goods on home soil. It has to be said that fortune did not favour them. LR’s Steve Brennan was twice called on to hack the ball off his own goalline and three times the woodwork denied the home side.
Jon Dawson and Gareth Brookes had been left out of the line-up for disobeying Nigel Gleghorn’s command that first team regulars must not playing Sunday football. Without them and, with Wes Wilkinson still rusty after his injury lay-off, the Dabbers lacked a clinical edge in a match where they had most of the possession. Even so, LR custodian Dave Cummins had to be at his best to deny efforts from Wilkinson and Chris Hampshire in a first half that saw the visitors take a two-goal lead.
Atherton spearhead Barry Massey and speedy Paul Crompton proved a handful for the Nantwich central defence throughout and the two combined for Crompton to head LR in front just before the half-hour.
With Gleghorn occupying a midfield berth in place of the injured Dale Melling, it was clear that the Dabbers were missing their player manager’s experience in defence and the visitors went 2-0 up just before the interval. Again it was danger man Crompton who did the damage, slotting the ball past Simon Pay from 15 yards.
Despite much endeavour in the second period, Nantwich were unable to force their way back into the match. It was ironic that Nantwich’s unbeaten league run which had begun at Atherton LR in November was ended by the same outfit at Jackson Avenue. Gleghorn won’t be unhappy that the next four games are all away from home !!
Nantwich Pay, Hall, Gardiner (Thomasson,40), Packham (Knight,65), McVey, Vickers, Rowland (Lawton,52), Gleghorn, Hampshire, Wilkinson, Hackney.
Booked: Vickers (40mins), Thomasson (75mins)
Atherton LR Cummins, Abrams (Kirwan,67), Trewitt, Andrews, Jopson, Gibson, Lucas, Meehan, Brennan, Massey (Barber,80), Crompton.
Booked: Roberts (11mins), McNair (67mins), O’Shaunnessy (71mins)
Star Man Simon Hackney – Posed a constant threat down the left
Attendance 80

Match report written by Michael Chatwin