Grantham Town 2
Nantwich Town 0
League (NPL Division 1 South)

Match Report

UniBond League First Division South

Saturday 8th September.2007
Grantham Town 2 v NANTWICH TOWN 0
Ryan Dicker O/G. 23, Sam Mullarkey. 92.

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

Nantwich made changes to the line up that won a penalty shoot-out against Radcliffe Borough earlier in the week.Paul Taylor,returning from a calf injury sustained last weekend, replaced Gyorgy Kiss, who was substituted before half time in Tuesday’s match after aggravating an existing hamstring,whilst Andy Kinsey started in place of Pavol Suhaj, who was relegated to the bench.

Ryan Dicker twice cleared deep on the Nantwich left following early Grantham attacks whilst in a further assault on the Nantwich goal burly striker Sam Wilkinson’s 20 yard shot rebounded off the legs of Rob Hackney before being cleared to safety.

Grantham winger Cann lost out to the close attention of Nick Linford in the 16th minute after the wingers intended shot from the left edge of the box was shepherded away by the midfielder whilst moments later Linford came to the rescue after Ashley Carter’s conceded corner flashed across the face of goal before Linford hooked the ball upfield.

Grantham went ahead in the 23rd minute through an own goal.Winger Cann teased Donnelly before laying off to Wilkinson just inside the box who delivered a hopeful strike from an angle that struck the unfortunate Dicker stationed a yard off the left hand post,the ball diverting off Dickers feet into the roof of the net.

Danny Griggs created his side’s first opportunity of note when he forced goal keeper Ziccardi into a last ditch save at the foot of his left hand post – meanwhile Linford wasted an opportunity when his 25 yard effort sailed high over the bar.Nantwich gained their first corner as late as the 31st minute but it was a poor delivery from Linford and at this stage the visitors were labouring with some ineffective play.Meanwhile,Grantham were showing little better by resorting to long balls from deep inside their own half with the intention of dropping them over the Nantwich defence with the aim of bringing Mullarkey and Wilkinson in to play but,so often in this match,both strikers were regularly flagged offside.

General poor play,on a pitch that was well suited to Nantwich’s style, meant ‘The ‘Dabbers’created few chances in a game against a very average side but,in a rare moment,right on the stroke of half time, Andy Kinsey forced Ziccardi into conceding a right sided corner from a well executed angle shot from 15 yards.The corner cleared, Grantham swept up field and in added time Wilkinson shot well over the bar from the edge of the box.

Blackhurst was unfortunate to place a 48th minute close range shot narrowly wide of the right hand post after good work by Griggs had allowed the midfielder possession from inside the 6 yard box.But, Kinsey spurned a great chance to bring the score level in the 50th minute when, with only the ‘keeper to beat after shrugging off a late challenge,shot wide from just 12 yards with Ziccardi way off his line.At the other end, Paul Taylor headed behind after Hawley had sent in a dangerous cross from the right whilst 3 minutes later both Griggs and Kinsey’s close range shots were blocked by defenders.Shortly afterwards Griggs required treatment for a leg injury but was eventually able to continue.

On the hour Mullarkey won a corner after the striker was allowed to continue with a right sided run despite being well offside, whilst at the other end Donnelly’s long range delivery was easily taken by Ziccardi followed by a well taken strike by Kinsey from just inside the box that again was halted by the alert Grantham ‘keeper.Poor defensive play brought Hackney into action on 65 minutes and he did well to produce a one handed stop before Nantwich followed by conceding two corners in the space of a minute.

Andy Bott replaced Nick Linford in the 68th minute and within seconds left back Dixon headed wide from a right sided corner from substitute winger Gilbert.Wayne Teague replaced the injured Ryan Dicker in the 80th minute with the change allowing Nantwich to probe far deeper in the Grantham half than they had done throughout the majority of the game.However,a late,late Griggs free kick from just outside the left edge of the area went straight through to Ziccardi before a cut in from the left by Carter shot was held by the host ‘keeper.Nantwich were dealt a late blow 2 minutes into added time after a Blackhurst attempted clearance was picked up by Mullarkey 15 yards out before he shot past Hackney into the right hand corner of the net.

Nantwich head coach Steve Davis reacted to the defeat by saying: “ We were poor, and without taking anything away from Grantham,we lost to a poor side.Not one Nantwich player emerged with any credit and by Tuesday at home to Warrington I pray they have shaken it out of their system.”

Match report written by Phil Johnson