Nantwich Town 3
Gresley Rovers 1
League (NPL Division 1 South)

Match Report

Monday 27th August. 2007.

UniBond League First Division South

NANTWICH TOWN 3 v Gresley Rovers 1
Glyn Blackhurst.17.38. Ashley Carter.78 Paul Edwards.86

Attendance.526.

NANTWICH TOWN: Dave Kocjak. Paul Donnelly. Paul Taylor. Richard Smith. Ryan Dicker. Phil Parkinson © Ashley Carter. Glyn Blackhurst. Pavol Suhaj. Nick Linford.Danny Griggs.Substitutes: Andy Kinsey.Wayne Teague. Steve Davis.

The Nantwich injury list lengthened at the weekend after No.1 custodian Rob Hackney sustained a leg injury (ironically in injury time) in the 3-0 win over Sheffield FC.Meanwhile,local Potteries goal keeper Dave Kocjak was called in to replace the injured Hackney and performed well in his first ever match in the UniBond League. Gresley,having won their opening games, were the first to show, as early as the 2nd minute left back Barradell released striker Wayte whose angled shot was well taken by Kocjak at his left hand post.Nantwich responded a minute later when Phil Parkinson placed a tidy ball into the path of Ashley Carter but, the midfielders 15 yard shot bent wide of the target.Kocjak was called into action again in the 5th minute when Brown broke free down the left but,despite the strikers cut back from the bye line, Kocjak was again up to the task and blocked Brown’s close range effort low down to his left hand post.For the home side Suhaj climbed above his marker to get on the end of an 11th minute Danny Griggs free kick but,despite a well struck dead ball, it skimmed off the head of the tall Slovakian before going out for a goal kick.However,Nantwich at this stage were building momentum and after winning three consecutive corners deservedly went ahead through midfielder Glyn Blackhurst in the 17th Minute. The build up to the goal was orchestrated through ‘Dabbers’ captain Phil Parkinson who,from just outside the box, fed a neat pass into the path of Blackhurst who finished the move off well by firing past visitors goal keeper Dave Clarke into the right hand corner of the net from 10 yards.Gresley responded but, after a couple of flurries, lost possession in midfield from where Parkinson was again instrumental in setting up a 27th minute opportunity,this time for Suhaj but,the big striker’s poor control 10 yards out, let him down.Two minutes later, a Danny Griggs close range effort rebounded off a defender in a crowded Gresley box whilst at the other end,midfielder Ridgway switched direction of play before his well timed cross field ball to Gresley striker Brown had just a little too much pace on it before narrowly going out for a goal kick.For the home side, Parkinson won a corner on the left in the 35th minute that reached Blackhurst standing on the opposite post but, he was eased out when Clarke rose in front of the busy Nantwich midfielder to seize the incoming ball.However,Blackhurst was not to be denied when he got the better of the visiting goal keeper in the 38th minute, finishing a close range header from the left hand post into the opposite top corner of the net following a perfect dead ball kick from just outside the right hand edge of the box by Danny Griggs.Gresley responded with a long range powerful effort by Wayte that was handled well by the stand-in Nantwich ‘keeper before he produced a brave move in leaving his area to halt the run of Wayte right on the stroke of half time.

HT: Nantwich Town 2 v Gresley Rovers 0

Gresley made changes in attack at the break when former Crewe Alex striker Paul Edwards and Karl Payne replaced Brown and Wayte respectively. For ‘The Dabbers’ the improving Ashley Carter played well to set up Pavol Suhaj lurking close to the right hand post but the chance was gone after the big fella failed to connect with a decent ball from the former Port Vale youngster.However, a mix up in defence between Linford and Kocjak could easily have cost the home side in the 54th minute but, the ‘Dabbers’ custodian just managed to snatch the ball away before Gresley piled in from the left.Despite allowing a couple of chances to go begging earlier Suhaj did well in the 58th minute when he cut the ball back from the bye line before unleashing a powerful strike that brought a stunning save out of Clarke at his left hand post.Suhaj made way for Andy Kinsey in the 74th minute and within 4 minutes of the substitute striker taking the field Nantwich scored a well deserved 3rd goal. Linford was instrumental in setting up a move that brought in Kinsey who cleverly held the ball up before laying into the path of the onrushing Carter over on the right who unleashed an unstoppable angled strike into the far corner of the net from 14 yards. Midfielder Groves tested Kocjak in the 81st minute whilst 2 minutes later Danny Griggs made way for Wayne Teague on the left.Gresley controversially pulled a goal back in the 86th minute following a 15 yard Paul Edwards strike that was adjudged to have crossed the line by what must have been the narrowest of margins after Kocjak got down well to smother the ground shot at his left hand post.Meanwhile,at the other end, Carter was a whisker away from scoring a second goal after receiving a neat pass from Kinsey,the ball sitting a little too high before the bounce favored Clarke who was some 10 yards off his line.A minute from normal time, Gresley were reduced to 10 men when Groves received a second yellow following a foul on Kinsey,the midfielder having being booked on the hour following a challenge on Suhaj.

Nantwich head coach Steve Davis was more than a little pleased with the result and said:-
“I thought we played better than on Saturday.We played our football,kept our shape and for the most part, left them chasing the game.However,back to back wins is no reason to get carried away,we must continue to improve and it is imperative we maintain standards”.

Match report written by Phil Johnson