Nantwich Town 0
Stone Dominoes 3
League (NW Counties League Div 1)

Match Report

DOMINOES TOPPLE DABBERS

Nantwich Town 0, Stone Dominoes 3
NWCFL Division 1, 14 February 2004

Stone rolled to a comfortable victory in their first ever League match at Nantwich. Dominoes took a stranglehold on the game in the first half hour during which the home defence endured a torrid time. Only the brilliance of keeper Stuart Heeps kept the tally respectable and although the Dabbers fought back in the second period, a late goal sealed victory for the Staffordshire side.
It took just two minutes for Stone to take the lead. Paul Taylor’s ball across the penalty area was met by Dave Walker who slid the ball home with the Nantwich defence nowhere to be seen. And, before ten minutes was up, Heeps had been called on to deny Walker a second and then turn away Dave Shaw’s skidding free kick before pulling off a near post save to deny Paul Harris.
At last Rob Hackney was brought into action in the Doms’ goal, parrying away Ashley Lawton’s drive from the edge of the box. Nigel Gleghorn and then Mark Maguire both had goalbound shots booted away before Doms doubled their lead on 28 minutes. The Nantwich defence backed away from Paul Harris, giving him enough space to unleash a blistering 25 yarder into the top corner with the outstretched Heeps helpless.
The Nantwich custodian saved smartly at the feet of Dave Shaw to ensure his side went in at half-time just two goals down.
Half time substitutes Wes Wilkinson and Jamie Phoenix injected some urgency into the Nantwich forward line and Jon Dawson was unlucky when he headed over from Danny Griggs’ cross and then saw a shot go wide of the upright after turning Lee Lainton. Anthony Buckle volleyed over from Lyndon Hall’s cross as Nantwich exerted pressure on the visitors and they should have pulled a goal back on the hour mark. Neat work by Wilkinson and Dawson set up Phoenix but the former Bolton Wanderers youngster was unable to control the ball with just Hackney to beat.
With Buckle pushing further forward, Hackney was forced into a decent save from Nantwich midfielder and, with Nantwich still in search of that elusive gaol, Dawson failed to get power behind his shot when well placed.
Stone rode their luck and with seven minutes remaining completed their victory when Harris’ corner fell kindly to substitute James Dunn who prodded home from close range.
It was a disappointing derby display from the Dabbers which saw their sequence of four straight League wins come to an abrupt halt.

Nantwich Heeps, Hall, Gardiner (Phoenix,h-t), Alexander, Jardine, Buckle, Griggs, Gleghorn, Dawson, Lawton (Wilkinson,h-t), Maguire. Booked: Alexander (32mins)
Stone Hackney, Heath, Barker, Lainton, Donnelly, Brownsword (Sumner,73), Fletcher, Harris, Shaw (Dunn,60), Walker (Killeen,85), Taylor. Booked: None

Match report written by Michael Chatwin