Nantwich Town 1
Colwyn Bay 1
League (NPL Division 1 South)

Match Report

NANTWICH TOWN 1 (Suhaj 38)
COLWYN BAY 1 (Lawless pen, 13)
Att: 613

Nantwich: Rob Hackney, Paul Donnelly, Paul Taylor, Richard Smith, Ryan Dicker, Phil Parkinson, Ashley Carter, Glyn Blackhurst, Andy Kinsey, Pavol Suhaj, Danny Griggs.

Subs: Andy Bott (for Kinsey, 81), Gyorgy Kiss (for Dicker, h-t), Nick Linford. Booked: Hackney (12), Suhaj (51), Taylor (62), Parkinson (72).

Colwyn Bay: Jamie Speare, Lewis Callaghan, John Boardman, Tim Brandreth, Kyle Armstrong, Adam Wade, Martin Crowder, James Olsen, Neil Black, Anthony Murt, John Lawless. Subs: Iain Swan, Paul Roberts, Jon Walker. Booked: Crowder (44), Lawless (72), Callaghan (80).

After a string of slick performances, the Dabbers put in a somewhat disjointed display and had to settle for taking just a point from their battling visitors.

Before the match, UniBond League Chief Executive Duncan Bayley presented Nantwich boss Steve Davis with the Club of the Month and Fair Play of the Month awards for the UniBond Division One (South), but the hosts struggled to settle and Bay took the early initiative when they went ahead on 13 minutes. Black latched on to a long ball and was scythed down by Hackney as he rounded the home keeper. Lawless stepped up to stroke the penalty comfortably past Hackney who escaped with just a yellow card.

A speculative 20 yarder from Parkinson sailed over the bar as the Dabbers gradually edged their way back into contention and then former Accrington keeper Speare was forced to dive low to his right to tip Blackhurst’s drive round the upright.

Speare was again called into action to palm Taylor’s header over the bar as Nantwich won a series of four corners in succession but pressure was relieved on the Bay defence by Speare’s long goalkicks which consistently tested the Nantwich back line.

The Welsh side had another strong appeal for a penalty waved away after Black went down after a crude challenge by Smith but Nantwich responded with an equaliser on 38 minutes. The hard-working Carter forced another corner on the Nantwich right and as Griggs’ flag kick swung in, Suhaj rose to power an unstoppable header past Speare.

Before the interval, Griggs shuffled past three defenders and he clipped the ball over Speare only to see Boardman turn the ball behind for yet another Nantwich corner.

After half-time Nantwich struggled to get their passing game together and the visitors almost took advantage when Crowder’s header was pushed round the post by Hackney.

Blackhurst rifled over the bar whilst Kinsey and Suhaj both had efforts blocked as Nantwich tried to gain the upper hand and for the Seagulls, Lawless struck a dipping volley which skimmed wide of the target.

Then, with 15 minutes remaining, the Dabbers were presented with a golden opportunity to clinch victory. Callaghan’s clearance was charged down by Griggs and the ball kindly looped to the unmarked Suhaj less than 10 yards from goal only for the Slovakian striker to slice well wide of the gaping goal.

As the match headed towards added time, it appeared that the visitors were happy to head back down the A55 with a share of the spoils but Nantwich almost snatched victory in injury time when first Carter shot wide when well placed and then Griggs had a close range shot bundled away.

Overall, the Dabbers will be disappointed to have dropped two home points but it was perhaps no more than they deserved against a robust display by the visitors.

Rodney Densem Wines Man of the Match: Paul Donnelly

PHOTO: Pavol Suhaj heads home the Nantwich equaliser.

Match report written by Michael Chatwin