Nantwich Town 1
Curzon Ashton 3
League (NW Counties League Div 1)

Match Report

Nantwich Town 1 Curzon Ashton 3
NWCFL Div 1 – 5/10/04

Nantwich slipped up on a wet and windy evening, going down 3-1 to a Curzon side showing a lot of bite. The Dabbers themselves kept battling and when Ashley Lawton pulled a goal back ten minues after the break with his sixth goal of the season, a come-back looked on the cards.
It was not to be, though, and Curzon deserved their victory for their slick play in difficult conditions. They were assisted, though, by poor defending at corners the first of which, on 10 minutes, saw the visitors grab the lead.
David Birch’s long corner found David Bean in space at the back stick and when his shot was charged down, Simon Kay blasted home the loose ball.
Enterprising play from Curzon saw Stuart McGill tee up Nathan Needeya and his rasping drive cannoned off the base of the post only for Phil Edghill to strike the rebound over from close range.
The Dabbers gradually edged their way back into contention, the lively Lawton twice having shots comfortably held by Nick Fish in the Curzon goal and Paul Rutter going close with a curling shot and then a snap volley from Lawton’s cross.
Out of theblue, Curzon went two up on 37 minutes. Edghill’s cross from the right was met sweetly on the edge of the box by Birch whose volley left home keeper Danny Reade rooted to the spot.
Reade did well to tip a crashing shot from John Utterson onto the bar as the visitors threatened to go on the rampage but the Dabbers fought back after the break.
Fish saved well from Rutter and held a Danny Griggs free-kick before acrobatically finger-tipping a screamer from Dale Melling round the post. From the corner, Paul Santus nodded the ball into the danger area and poacher Lawton was on hand to turn it in.
Chances of a comeback were thwarted when Curzon capitalised on poor marking to go 3-1 up from a Birch corner. McGill must have thought he made been awarded the Freedom of Nantwich, stooping to head home from 6 yards.
An instinctive save from Reade denied Utterson and, for Nantwich, substitute Andy Parkinson’s piledrive was just over the bar five minutes from time - but, by then, the points had been well and truly sewn up by the visitors.
Nantwich: Reade, Morris, Beattie, Jones, Jardine, Melling, Brough, Santus (Parkinson,75), Rutter, Lawton, Griggs. Booked: Griggs (38mins)
Curzon: Fish, Hinchcliffe, Watson, Bean, Kay, Wild (Hales,h-t), Needeya (Hampson,84), Birch, Utterson (Harrott,84), McGill, Edghill. Booked: Hales (81mins)

Match report written by Michael Chatwin