Colne  1
Nantwich Town 4
League (NW Counties League Div 1)

Match Report

Date: Saturday 17th March. 2007.
COLNE 1 v NANTWICH TOWN 4
Heap.72. Griggs (5) Bott (23) Kinsey (25) Scheuber (28)

NANTWICH TOWN: Rob Hackney. Mark Fitton. Gyorgy Kiss. Richard Smith. Paul Donnelly. Adam Beasley. Stuart Scheuber. Murray McCulloch. Andy Kinsey. Andy Bott. Danny Griggs. Substitutes: Paul Taylor. Steve Davis. Jake Bowyer.

‘The Dabbers’ were aiming for their 10th consecutive league game without defeat during the visit to Colne and further strengthen their claim for promotion to the Unibond League. Meanwhile, defender Paul Donnelly (hamstring) came through a late fitness test to take his place in the back four but head coach Steve Davis was forced to plan without his long serving skipper Phil Parkinson who was serving a one match suspension. However, in a rather surprising move, Steve Davis included himself in the squad for the first time since suffering a torn groin during the 2 – 0 defeat away to FC United back on the 19th of August.

Conditions were appalling at the Holt House stadium. Heavy rain, driven by a strong wind made ball control at a premium throughout the majority of the match. Nantwich, who were playing down the notorious slope in the first half, took the game to their hosts and, despite the conditions, adapted well, spraying the ball around to good effect leaving Colne to chase the game. ‘The Dabbers’ were unlucky not to take the lead as early as the 1st minute when Murray McCulloch delivered a perfect square ball into the path of Andy Kinsey who proceeded to pull the ball back from the path of his marker before firing at goal from short distance only to see the goal bound shot glance off the legs of a defender to safety. Two minutes later Colne midfielder Howarth spelled danger when he picked up a loose ball just inside the Nantwich half before delivering a blistering strike that Rob Hackney did well to tip over for a corner. However, ‘The Dabbers’ went ahead in the 5th minute through Danny Griggs. The build up to the goal began in their own half following a slick three man move down the left that allowed Andy Kinsey to shoot at the target before the ball rebounded off a central defender into the path of Danny Griggs who made no mistake with the follow up to score his 19th goal of the season. Griggs, whose pace was providing Colne right back Whittaker with a nightmare, tested goalkeeper Pinder in the 10th minute after the diminutive winger evaded three challenges before pulling the ball back from the bye line and hitting the target with a magnificent shot that Pinder only just held at the near post. However, three minutes later Nantwich went further ahead. ‘The Dabbers’, despite the conditions, were now in full flow, with the home side finding great difficulty in containing Danny Griggs, Andy Kinsey and Andy Bott with Bott scoring his 24th of the season after collecting a ball just off the edge of the area before drawing Pinder and firing past the debutant goalkeeper from 15 yards. Conditions then worsened to the point where visibility became impaired for some time. But, the resolute Nantwich took it in their stride and continued to press for a 3rd goal albeit with some decent moves on a pitch that resembled a skid pan. That 3rd goal duly arrived in the 25th minute following a free kick just inside the Colne half. Paul Donnelly struck the dead ball with perfection, delivering the ball to Andy Bott whose first time touch into the path of Andy Kinsey was finished perfectly by the Nantwich leading scorer who deservedly scored his 28th goal of the season. Colne players by now were arguing amongst themselves as to who was responsible for what looked like a possible rout. Nantwich by contrast continued to play as a unit and on 28 minutes added a 4th goal. On this occasion it was crafted from a move down the right where for the most part Murray McCulloch had outwitted his marker Jason Hefferman. McCullochs’ pace took him inside the stocky No.3 before bringing Kinsey into play just in front of the Colne defence. Kinsey spun before unleashing a fierce shot at goal that rebounded off a defender some 10 yards into the path of midfielder Stuart Scheuber who made no mistake with the follow up, delivering a powerful low drive past the prostrate Pinder. Nantwich were rampant and just simply dominated the half ,cutting through the home side as though they were statues. Right on the stroke of half time McCulloch and Griggs were unlucky with close range shots whilst a second Kinsey goal in added time was cruelly denied by a rather unsteady assistant referee with Kinsey clearly onside. By the start of the second half conditions had improved with Nantwich continuing where they left off, in attack, and were almost rewarded with a 5th goal initially from a corner. Danny Griggs left sided flag kick neatly turned over the heads of every player to be met at the back post by Mark Fitton who rose to place a close range header narrowly over the bar. Meanwhile, Colne launched a rare attack that saw Anthony Murt shoot wide of the target from an angle before Nantwich hit back with left sided corner. Griggs again elected to take the flag kick and once again delivered a perfect in swinging ball that on this occasion met the head of Andy Bott who was desperately unlucky to see his close range header destined for the right hand top corner of the net headed off the line by Heffernan after the goalkeeper was left stranded on the opposite post. Just after the hour mark the pattern of the game changed, with driving rain and strong crosswinds moving the ball in all directions. Nantwich, playing up the slope into the wind and rain were finding difficulty in getting the ball far enough forward to set up further attacks. Meanwhile Colne were taking advantage of the long downfield clearances to set up their own attacks which had been somewhat rare up until now. Sensing a possible advantage in the conditions Colne elected to make a change by introducing the pacy Sam Heap at the expense of midfielder Alderson. The change proved effective and in the 72nd minute Heap caught out a sleepy Nantwich defence when he stole in to place a close header in at the left hand post. For a few minutes the alarm bells began to ring in the Nantwich camp and when Colne striker Garbutt shot narrowly wide in the 75th minute it was confirmation that it was time to regain the initiative. Paul Taylor replaced Danny Griggs on 75 minutes and despite worsening conditions Nantwich were able to move the game further up the pitch and back into the Colne half. Chances though became at a premium as Colne became more resolute with Rob Hackney twice punching clear from late corners. The gritty Adam Beasley made way for Jake Bowyer in midfield three minutes from normal time whilst deep into added time the last kick of the game from a Colne free kick was headed off the line by Andy Kinsey. The victory takes Nantwich into double figures without defeat and go into Monday evenings league fixture at Atherton Collieries looking to stretch the run to 11 games.

A naturally delighted Steve Davis commented: “ A tremendous effort by the lads under the most testing of conditions. I said before the game that discipline was to be the key and they responded with four excellent goals. We knew that the second half was likely to be different and so it proved. There was just that little spell when we lost focus that cost us their goal. Overall we dominated the game and the spirit amongst the players is very high at a critical time just as the season enters it’s final matches.”

Match report written by Phil Johnson