Brigg Town 0
Nantwich Town 4
League (NPL Division 1 South)

Match Report

UniBond League. First Division South

Saturday 22nd September.2007.
Brigg Town 0 v NANTWICH TOWN 4
Paul Taylor.20, Ashley Carter.48.73, Andy Bott.89

Referee:Mr C.Akers. Assistants: Mr S.Hawkins. Mr P.Saunders. Attendance:141.

NANTWICH TOWN: Rob Hackney.Andy Taylor. Paul Taylor. Paul Donnelly. Ryan Dicker. Phil Parkinson© Ashley Carter. Glyn Blackhurst. Andy Kinsey. Andy Bott. Danny Griggs. Substitutes: Pavol Suhaj (Kinsey 74). Nick Linford (Parkinson 63) Adam Beasley (P.Taylor 80).

Our first ever visit to ‘The Hawthorns’ at the weekend to play Brigg Town ended in a well deserved victory against the twice FA Vase winners. From the whistle ‘The Dabbers’ proceeded to create a number of chances in the opening quarter hour. Andy Taylor was the first to test Steer in the Brigg goal when he cut the ball back from the bye line after good support play by Andy Kinsey and Ashley Carter to fire a fierce low drive that Steer did well to block at the foot of his left hand post. Meanwhile,in a rare Brigg attack, Paul Donnelly performed well to head clear from right back Spall who threatened with an angled strike from deep.

Paul Taylor’s sweet left foot volley from a Glyn Blackhurst throw-in bent narrowly wide of the target as ‘The Dabbers’ sought an early goal followed by Andy Taylor’s centre from the right from which Danny Griggs was unlucky not to follow through on goal before the Brigg central defensive partnership of Cochrane and Hope closed the gap.’Griggsy’ was fouled just out side the box in the 8th minute, and from his well struck angled dead ball kick that bent over the wall, we were unlucky not to score after the ball agonizingly missed the head of ‘Kins,’ who was lurking dangerously at the far post.

Brigg hit back with a couple of efforts in the 12th minute.Mitchell was first to threaten before ‘Donners’ cleared at the expense of a corner.From the flag kick ‘ Taz’ did well to head clear before Muldoon followed up with a 22 yard volley that ended wide of the target.

‘ Taz’ deservedly gave us the lead in the 20th minute. ‘Griggsy’ and ‘Kins’ worked the ball down the right side of the Brigg area before teeing up our left back who produced a magnificent goal after he cut inside before producing a superb shot that bent over the right hand edge of their defence,across the body of goalkeeper Steer, before hitting the top far corner of the net.

‘Kins’ was desperately unlucky not to enter the score sheet within two minutes of our opening goal when his fierce angled strike from the right hand edge of their box struck the inside of the far post before rebounding into the path of a Brigg defender for a lucky clearance as our boy’s began to turn the screw.Meanwhile,a rare Brigg attack saw midfielder Muldoon fire a wild shot from 25 yards over ‘Ackers’ crossbar.

Ten minutes before the break Andy Taylor,Glyn Blackhurst and ‘Kins’combined in a move that came close to a second goal but, Steer was alert to ‘Kins ’presence and was on hand to save the close range header.From the goal kick, Brigg right back Spall sent in a dipping shot from which Andy Taylor’s clearance from inside the 6 yard box averted the danger from the lurking Mitchell,Grimes and Altoft. Despite the danger, we returned to attack, forcing Brigg to retreat in the closing minutes but,despite first half domination, we had to settle for that well constructed 20th minute goal.

Ashley Carter put us further ahead when he scored the first of his afternoon’s brace of goals within three minutes of the start of the second half. The build up to the goal began in midfield with ‘Blacky’, and ‘Kins’ combining to set up our 19 year old winger who went on to score from 12 yards after mesmerizing the Brigg central defenders and goal keeper Steer.

Brigg worked hard to pull back the deficit but,our back four, plus goalkeeper Rob Hackney, thwarted them at every attempt.

‘Ash’ notched his second of the afternoon in the 73rd minute, on this occasion following a build up on the right started by Andy Taylor. ‘Kins’ steaded a pass before feeding our tricky winger who foxed the defence, and beat Steer with a well taken shot from 10 yards.

Brigg were reduced to ten men after former Scunthorpe United striker Steve Housham received a straight red card from referee Mr C.Akers for a crude challenge on ‘Blacky’.

‘Botty’,who had worked hard to secure a goal, wrapped up the afternoon in the 89th minute after catching the Brigg defence flat footed. Despite Brigg protestations, ‘Botty’ raced from just over the halfway line before side stepping Steer and scoring from a yard out to complete the rout.

The win moves ‘The Dabbers’up to 7th but, with Cheshire Senior Cup games away to Blue Square North Hyde United on Monday night followed by a very tough looking FA Cup tie away to Blue Square North new leaders Harrogate Town on Saturday, our campaign for a regular top six placing is put on hold for almost a fortnight.

Steve Davis’s response to the victory was:- “ A very solid performance. Our back four were magnificent, whilst Rob Hackney performed well in dealing effectively with anything that came his way. Overall,a well deserved win,especially away from home”.

Match report written by Phil Johnson