Nantwich Town 5
Atherton Collieries 0
League (NW Counties League Div 1)

Match Report

Nantwich Town 5, Atherton Collieries 0
NWCFL Division 1, 23 September 2003

Nantwich struck a rich seam of form and created a ruck of chances all evening. As it was, the Dabbers mined five goals to sink a sorry Collieries outfit. Colls had to dig deep to cap Nigel Gleghorn’s rampant side who could well have a bagged a sackful of coals – sorry, goals.
The rout started on ten minutes when Otis Thomas raced down the right and his pinpoint cross was headed home by Wes Wilkinson at the back stick. Two minutes later, Thomas himself almost cashed in after he was played in by Wilkinson but the home lead was increased just before the half hour. Melford Knight stooped to meet Danny Griggs’ free kick and powered a thunderbolt header which Colls’ keeper Craig Barlow couldn’t push out from under the crossbar.
Barlow saved well from Wilkinson’s volley and then wee Wessie Wilkie chipped the ball wide after an incisive through ball from Mark Maguire.
Fifteen minutes after the re-start, Ashley Lawton made it 3-0 when he latched on to a long ball and slotted it past Barlow and, on 67 minutes, the Dabbers went 4-0 up. Lawton carried the ball wide on the left and pulled it back for Wilkinson to stroke home his second of the evening. The home side continued to dominate and went nap on 77 minutes. Lawton stabbed the ball past the hapless Barlow after his neat interplay down the left flank with substitute Steve Redfern had carved out the visitors’ defence.
Colls should have sneaked a late consolation when Adam Vickers needlessly wrestled Martin Stewart to the floor in the box but the Atherton striker got up and sent his spot kick well wide of the target to complete a miserable evening for the Lancashire side.
Nantwich Pay, Thomasson, Maguire, Hall, Packham, Vickers, Lawton, Knight, Thomas (Brookes,65), Wilkinson, Griggs (Redfern,73). Booked: Thomas (44mins)
Atherton Colls Barlow, O’Shaughnessy, Blakeley (Forsyth,36), Richard (Chapman,78), Morley, McKenzie, Coldridge, Edgerton, Morse (Hoolighan,70), Bridges, Stewart. Booked: O’Shaughnessy (40mins)

Match report written by Michael Chatwin