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

Match Report

Date: Monday 9th April. 2007.

CONGLETON TOWN 1 v NANTWICH TOWN 2
Gerard Courtney. 47. Andy Kinsey. 18. 56.

Congleton Town: Paul Forrester. Tommy Baker. Alan Glover. Ben Alston. Andy Alston © Craig Jones. Jordan Johnson. Richard Bailey. Andy Hurst. Gerard Courtney. Scott Williams.
Substitutes: Chris Smith. Jamie Petrie. Matt Murray.

NANTWICH TOWN:Rob Hackney. Mark Fitton. Paul Taylor. Richard Smith. Paul Donnelly. Phil Parkinson © Gyorgy Kiss. Stuart Scheuber. Andy Kinsey. Andy Bott. Danny Griggs. Substitutes: Adam Beasley. Matt Blake. Danny Smith.

Referee: Mr L.Sinclair. (Newcastle)

Congleton made the early running, with midfielder Richard Bailey heading over from the edge of the box in the 3rd minute. Nantwich responded in the 5th minute, winning a corner halfway inside the Congleton right that fell to Nantwich right back Mark Fitton before playing the ball square across the 6 yard box for Andy Kinsey however, the 30 goal striker was adjudged offside before he could strike the ball. Moments later play was brought to a halt following a heavy challenge by Glover on Griggs but, from the restart a run from just inside the Nantwich half on the right by Congleton winger Scott Williams was halted close to the corner flag following a superb intervention by Nantwich central defender Paul Donnelly whilst at the other end an excellent cross field ball by Nantwich winger Danny Griggs was wasted by Kinsey after he beat Forrester before lofting the ball over the bar from 12 yards. On the quarter hour the home side had the ball in the net directly from a corner over on the visitors left. However, referee Sinclair immediately halted play after judging that Nantwich goal keeper Rob Hackney had been pushed to the ground following a heavy challenge just as the ball was swung in from the flag kick. Three minutes later Nantwich took the lead. From a long clearance by the Nantwich goal keeper Andy Kinsey squeezed between the Congleton central defenders and when the ball came down he trapped it before running on to beat Forrester from 14 yards to score his 31st goal of the season. Congleton hit back minutes later with a corner after Donnelly produced a timely headed clearance from the edge of the 6 yard box but, despite the home side making the odd break it was Nantwich who gradually took hold of the first half. The visitors had the ball in the net again through Andy Bott in the 22nd minute but, the goal was ruled out after an assistant referee claimed an infringement on Forrester. Two minutes later Andy Bott was furious after he had stolen between the Congleton central defence to beat Forrester for a second time only to be denied when the assistant referee claimed that on this occasion Bott to be offside. Nantwich continued to press and held Congleton in their own half for long periods. Bott missed a great chance in the 27th minute to put his side further ahead following a great ball from inside the box by Griggs by shooting narrowly wide before Congleton broke through midfielder Richard Bailey whose run from midfield was blocked by Nantwich skipper Phil Parkinson. A short while later Bailey did make the break through but, fired wildly over the bar from 22 yards. On the half hour, and with Nantwich on the attack again, left back Paul Taylor beat three challenges before shooting into the arms of Forrester followed seven minutes later by Andy Bott who really should have scored from 12 yards out but, the low drive cannoned off Forrester to safety. Both sides won a corner approaching half time but it was Nantwich who finished the stronger and in the dying moments the Congleton goal mouth was leading a charmed life.

Half Time: Congleton Town 0 v Nantwich Town 1

The second half was only two minutes old before Congleton drew level. Following a tussle in midfield Congleton won the ball before placing the visitors on the defensive, right on the edge of the box from where the experienced Courtney shrugged off a couple of challenges before firing past Hackney from 14 yards.Three minutes later and play was brought to a halt right alongside the dugouts. At the time Nantwich were building an attack down the Congleton left through Parkinson when a heavy challenge on the Nantwich skipper by Congleton midfielder Richard Bailey saw Parkinson fall to the ground. However, the referee judged Parkinson’s reaction to warrant a red card whilst the initial challenge from Bailey went unpunished. Despite being reduced to 10 men the incident served only to spur Nantwich on and their persistence was rewarded in the 56th minute when a clearance deep on the visitors right was threaded through to Andy Kinsey who got the better of Congleton left back Alan Glover before drawing Forrester off his line and scoring his 32nd goal of the season from 10 yards. Congleton worked hard to draw level once again but, the resolute Nantwich were soaking up everything that Congleton could throw at them. In the 76th minute Nantwich left sided midfielder Gyorgy Kiss brought a good save out of Forrester after the former Hungarian international struck a fierce 25 yard volley, whilst in the 82 minute Andy Kinsey was unlucky to shoot a yard wide of the target from a Griggs flag kick before Congleton were denied by Rob Hackney who produced a superb goal line save from Congleton substitute Matt Murray deep into stoppage time. Nantwich, with just four remaining games, retain 3rd in the North West Counties League first division after promotion rivals Curzon Ashton and Salford both won their Easter Monday games.

A delighted Nantwich head coach Steve Davis commented: “A truly inspiring result. We prepared well by training for a couple of hours on Sunday morning and then followed with lunch together. The players are a credit to Nantwich Town as are the large crowd of supporters who came along to cheer them to victory followed by a standing ovation at the final whistle”.

Match report written by Phil Johnson