Abbey Hey 0
Nantwich Town 3
League (NW Counties League Div 1)

Match Report

Teams: Abbey Hey 0 v NANTWICH TOWN 3
Danny Griggs (2)
Own Goal (67)
Andy Kinsey (88)

NANTWICH: Rob Hackney. Murray McCulloch. Paul Taylor. Richard Smith. Mark Fitton. Paul Donnelly. Mathew Platt. Stuart Scheuber. Andy Kinsey. Andy Bott. Danny Griggs. Substitutes: Ishmail Reade. Lawrence Briggs. Adam Soane.

`The Dabbers` went into this game on the back of a 10 match undefeated league run but,
Nantwich head coach Steve Davis was forced to reshuffle his midfield after club captain
Phil Parkinson was placed on crutches following injury to his right ankle sustained in a
midweek work accident.Early estimates suggest he could be out of action for up to a
month.Meanwhile fellow midfielder Adam Beasley continues recovery from an Achilles
injury but is hopeful of being available for selection in next weekend’s league game away
at Bacup Borough.In the reshuffle Paul Donnelly moved from his customary right back
position into the centre of midfield to partner Stuart Scheuber, whilst Mathew Platt was
promoted from the bench to the right side of midfield.Richard Smith returned to the
centre of defence following a recent facial injury.Less than an hour before kick off the
pitch was still under preparation but, despite an effort by groundstaff, to reduce the height
of the grass, it was still some four inches high in places having failed to complete the
mowing of the remaining quarter of the pitch. Nantwich were in command from the
start, and took a 2nd minute lead through Danny Griggs.A move from just inside
their own half progressed through left back Paul Taylor, whose dipping shot from
midfield found Andy Bott placed handily just outside the centre of the 18 yard
area,Bott then fed Griggs, lurking dangerously on the left edge of the box, before
collecting the ball and looking up to place a wonderful strike from 15 yards past
‘keeper Molloy into the top left hand corner of the net.Griggs was again prominent in
the 9th minute when the diminutive winger momentarily switched wings, crashing a 20
yard volley at goal that forced Molloy down on his line to save.Abbey Hey worked hard
to obtain possession but, Nantwich were affording their hosts very little as the game
moved toward the quarter hour mark.On 20 minutes Nantwich were awarded a free kick
deep inside the Abbey Hey half, which saw Griggs deliver a delightful left sided dipping
shot to the far post but,despite the close attention of Kinsey, the ball drifted away from
the `Dabbers` No.9.A short time later Platt and Scheuber required on the field treatment
following separate incidents but, were able to continue.On the half hour the game
became somewhat scrappy, with a number of Nantwich passes going astray, causing not a
little frustration amongst players and coaching staff.Abbey Hey strayed into the visitors
half late in the half with a couple of moves that looked threatening,one of which involved
striker Cathcart, who entered the box from the left and was seen to go down under
challenge from Smith but, referee Mr Siddall waved the appeal away.Nine minutes from
the break Nantwich produced a series of openings,first from Griggs,who had worked
tirelessly on the left,winning a further free kick that the 26 year old delivered to the far
post, only to see his effort headed wide for a goal kick.Molloy’s goal kick was
intercepted by Scheuber followed by Kinsey, foraging deep on the left, before attempting
to bring Bott into play with a neat square ball across the 18 yard line.Had Bott reacted
quicker to the pass, his path to goal would have been open but, the delay allowed a
defender to snuff out the opportunity.With Nantwich perched well forward Platt then
found time and space on the right after receiving the ball from Donnelly,to produce a
great run on goal that saw him enter the box,advance to 12 yards, before hitting the
tamest of shots, right into the arms of the advancing Molloy.Within a minute of the
restart Richard Smith was alert to the threat of Almonds run on goal, whilst at the
opposite end Bott’s infield ball shaved the head of Platt, just as he was poised to deliver a
glancing header from 10 yards.On 51 minutes Platt made way for Reade, with the pace of
the substitute midfielder allowing Nantwich to press the ball deeper, particularly on the
left.Four minutes later and Donnelly won a corner.His pass to Griggs was followed by a
close range shot that cannoned off Morse with the flag kick punched clear by Molloy
only as far as Scheuber, whose 20 yard volley came back off a defender for the clearance,
only to be picked up once again by`The Dabbers` who rained shots on goal but, lady luck
was clearly absent for the men in green and white.Whilst not the greatest spectacle of a
match, Nantwich worked tirelessly to notch a deserved second goal.It duly arrived in
the 67th minute when Danny Griggs elected to take a free kick, 22 yards out on the
right,the ball curving neatly toward the centre of goal before entering the net
courtesy of a defender’s head when caught facing his own goalkeeper some 8 yards
out.Three minutes later Hackney was called into action following Abbey’s leading scorer
Greenhalgh producing a fierce 20 yard shot from the right that forced a corner after the
ball was turned around the near post.With a quarter hour of normal time remaining,and
with Nantwich largely dominating proceedings,they forced their hosts to defend for long
periods.Andy Bott produced a close range header courtesy of an inch perfect free kick
delivery from Griggs, whilst from a goal kick there followed a scramble in the 12 yard
area that allowed Kinsey to turn and shoot but, his effort was wide of the target.On 82
minutes a quality ball from Griggs found Kinsey 15 yards out but, his shot went straight
at the ‘keeper closely followed by a perfect free kick from Donnelly that found Griggs on
the right but, on this occasion the winger’s shot was off target.Nantwich completed the
job with two minutes to spare when Andy Kinsey picked up the ball just inside the
Abbey half,bobbing and weaving past four challengers he planted a perfect finish
from 12 yards past the despairing Molloy.Victory secures Nantwich a third successive
away win during which they have scored 13 goals without conceding and take over
second place in the division from Maine Road who went down at home in a surprise
defeat to Silsden.
Nantwich head coach Steve Davis reflected after the game: “ Not a great performance but
solid,particularly in defence.We were always in control,albeit on a very difficult surface.”

Match report written by Phil Johnson