Nelson 2
Nantwich Town 2
League (NW Counties League Div 1)

Match Report

Date: Saturday 27th January.2007.

NELSON 2 v NANTWICH TOWN 2
Grey 49 ( Pen 77) Griggs 19. McCulloch 72.

NANTWICH: Rob Hackney. Mark Fitton. Gyorgy Kiss. Richard Smith. Paul Taylor. Phil Parkinson © Murray McCulloch. Paul Donnelly. Matt Blake. Andy Bott. Danny Griggs. Substitutes: Adam Beasley. Danny Smith. Michailis Chailis.

`The Dabbers` were aiming to increase their unbeaten run to five games during their first ever league visit to the Victoria Ground.Defender Mark Fitton returned to the line up following a recent ankle injury whilst last weekends foot injury victim Adam Beasley recovered sufficiently to be included on the bench.Meanwhile,forward Matt Blake shrugged off a sore knee to take his place alongside Andy Bott in attack at the expense of the one match suspended Andy Kinsey.

Considering the lengthy spells of rain that had fallen on the pitch in recent week`s the Victoria Ground was in good shape with a surface well suited to `The Dabbers` style of play. Nantwich won two early corners but, it was the home side who came closest to opening the scoring when first,Danny Stubberfield struck a looping shot from halfway inside the Nantwich half that fell wide of the right hand post whilst moments later David Grey hit from narrow angle with the ball flashing across the face of goal from the right.Two minutes later Stubberfield tested Rob Hackney with a shot from 20 yards during a spell when Nantwich were showing signs of unsettlement.However,`The Dabbers`created a series of openings around the 10th minute,first,Danny Griggs was unlucky after his close range downward header bounced up in front of goalkeeper Jim Davis to safety whilst Paul Donnelly and Paul Taylor put in shots from similar distance,albeit without troubling Davis.Nantwich broke the deadlock in the 19th minute when Danny Griggs latched on to a right sided infield ball before side stepping his marker to fire past Davis from 10 yards to collect his 17th goal of the season.Nantwich continued to apply pressure on the home side but, on many occasion were guilty of some wayward passing allowing Nelson to move the ball into the Nantwich half in attempts to get Stubberfield,Grey and winger Chris Nuttall amongst the action.Matt Blake struck from an angle in the 24th minute that Davis did well to hold at his left hand post but, the Nantwich forward moves were becoming less frequent as the game moved toward the half hour mark.Stubberfield threatened again with a close range shot after he had jinxed between central defenders Taylor and Smith before firing into the arms of Hackney whilst at the other end McCulloch was unlucky with an angled strike that fell narrowly wide of the left side of goal.Griggs fluffed two close range opportunities five minutes from the break whilst Donnelly was unlucky with a ground shot that forced Davis down on his line for the save.Right on the stroke of half time Blake had a great chance to score when his perfectly struck angled shot flew across the face of goal before agonizingly shaving the left angle of post and bar.Almost from the start of the second half Nantwich began to look a jaded outfit.Passes were going astray with regularity and it was no surprise that Nelson equalized in the 49th minute.`The Dabbers` defense failed to deal with a ball played down their left side allowing Grey to advance within 10 yards of goal before shooting past Hackney.Seemingly embarrassed by the lapse in concentration,and not for the first time in recent games,Nantwich appeared to pick themselves up,albeit for only a short spell, before allowing Nelson back in once more.Grey was allowed to advance on the hour to put in a 20 yard shot from the right side that was well held by Hackney.The warning signs were flashing again, and the home side won a rare corner in the 68th minute that was cleared up field before a clash of heads resulted in central defender Richard Smith having to be substituted by Danny Smith.A momentary perk up in their play produced a second goal for Nantwich in the 72nd minute through right sided midfielder Murray McCulloch.With the ball over to the left of goal McCulloch found himself in space on the opposite flank before collecting a pass that allowed the diminutive Scot to advance within 12 yards before tucking the ball under the body of the diving Davis.However,much to the anger of the Nantwich head coach and his assistant Peter Hall the Nantwich players switched off,yet again, allowing the home side to dictate proceedings.Self inflicted damage created by the `Dabbers` defense allowed Nelson to square the match in the 77th minute courtesy of a penalty.Credit to Rob Hackney,who bravely blocked the David Grey spot-kick but, as the ball rebounded off the palm of his hands Grey followed in to fire into the roof of the net from 3 yards.Paul Donnelly made way for Adam Beasley in the 85th minute whilst three minutes later Michalis Chailis replaced Andy Bott in attack.Then,right on the stroke of normal time, Murray McCulloch advanced to a position deep on the right before unleashing a fierce shot that agonizingly went straight into the arms of Davis.Moments later referee Mr Edwards brought the game to an end and for the second consecutive weekend Nantwich Town players conceded two precious promotion points on a day when they wore the look of anything other than a promotion winning side.

A seething Nantwich Head Coach Steve Davis raged: “ A gutless performance.Not one Nantwich player demonstrated either passion or commitment and both Peter Hall and I really do wonder if any of them want to win anything anymore.Nelson were a very poor side and we mirrored them today with some of the worst play I have witnessed since I have been at the club.It was so bad I could not let the day end without apologizing to our loyal band of travelling supporters who pay out a lot of money each weekend to follow us.We have told the players in no uncertain terms that they should feel ashamed to play like that,particularly in a Nantwich shirt,they not only let Nantwich Town Football Club,it`s loyal supporters,but themselves down as well.”

Match report written by Phil Johnson