Alsager Town 2
Nantwich Town 3
League (NW Counties League Div 1)

Match Report

ALSAGER TOWN 2 NANTWICH TOWN 3
NWCFL Div 1 – 13 November 2004

Supersub John Scarlett came off the bench to clinch a hard fought derby victory with his third goal in three substitute appearances for Nantwich. New arrival from Stafford Rangers Glyn Blackhurst bossed the midfield for the Dabbers and weighed in with a debut goal whilst Paul Rutter netted his eighth goal in nine outings.
Alsager, for their part, fully contributed to the afternoon’s entertainments but it was their Cheshire rivals that started the better, breaking the deadlock on 27 minutes. Paul Santus’ cross from the right was cleverly brought down by Danny Griggs and the Nantwich skipper rounded home keeper Rob Powner before unselfishly pulling the ball back for Rutter to slot home.
The Dabbers were on top for the first half hour and secured seven corners in the first half. On 34 minutes, Alsager replaced the out-of-sorts Steve Grocott with Phil Parkinson and the change helped the home side take control of the game. Two minutes later, Murray McCulloch fired the ball in from the right and it ricocheted to Mark Grice to ram home.
After the interval, the hosts looked threatening. Griggs booted a Wayne Brotherton header off the line, Ian Verow fired across the face of the goal and Nantwich keeper Danny Read saved bravely at the feet of the dangerous Peter Heler. The Dabbers held firm and responded when Griggs clipped an effort over the bar from 20 yards.
Then, on 81 minutes, man-of-the-match Blackhurst fired Nantwich ahead with a half-volley from the edge of the area and, four minutes later, veteran Scarlett made it 3-1. Ashley Lawton intelligently anticipated a loose back pass from Dean Stokes and he got past Powner and laid the ball for Scarlett to drive in.
A deflected shot ended up in the Nantwich goal only to be ruled out for offside but Alsager did reduce the arrears with just two minutes remaining. Stokes made amends for his earlier error – converting a cross following a clever free-kick routine involving McCulloch and Verow. It set Nantwich nerves jangling and, in tense stoppage time, Heler volleyed over but the Dabbers held on with Steve Davis again impressive at the back and the Nantwich Head Coach will certainly have been delighted to see his side chalk up a third win on the trot.
Alsager: Powner, McCulloch, Fraser, Espley, Brotherton, Stokes, Ireland, Verow, Heler, Grice (Rowe,76), Grocott (Parkinson,34).
Nantwich: Read, Morris, Parkinson, Davis, Pullar, Blackhurst, Brough, Santus (Newton,90), Rutter (Scarlett,72), Lawton, Griggs.

Match report written by Michael Chatwin