Nantwich Town 6
Alsager Town 0
League (NPL Division 1 South)

Match Report

UniBond League First Division South
Tuesday 1st January 2008
NANTWICH TOWN 6 v ALSAGER TOWN 0
Ashley Carter. 6. 68.
Andy Kinsey. 48.66.
Glyn Blackhurst. 13.
Kevin Ward. 75.
Referee: Mr B.J Robinson
.
Attendance 664
NANTWICH TOWN: Lee Jones. Paul Donnelly. Paul Taylor. Richard Smith. Ryan Dicker. Phil Parkinson ©. Ashley
Carter. Glyn Blackhurst (Beasley.78). Andy Kinsey. Pavol Suhaj (Kevin Ward.69). Danny Griggs (Kiss.81). Substitutes:
Adam Beasley. Kevin Ward. Gyorgy Kiss.
ALSAGER TOWN: Matt Conkie. Dougie Pitts. Dean Stokes. Charlie Reeves. Dave Whittaker. Karl Espley. Mark
Soboljew. Ryan Baker. Jimmy McCarthy. Steve Millington. Doryl Profitt. Substitutes: Chris Budrys. Ashley Miller. Michael
Owen.
‘The Dabbers’ took a 6th minute lead following a foul on Pav Suhaj outside the box. Danny Griggs dead
ball kick was played across the 6 yard box to ‘Ash’ Carter who took advantage of a gap between a
defender and goal keeper Matt Conkie to stroke the ball into the back of their net from 8 yards.
Alsager were finding it difficult to emerge from their own half and we punished them further in the 13th
minute when Glyn Blackhurst collected a ball inside their half before hitting one of the finest goals yet
seen at The Weaver Stadium with a 25 yard dipping shot that sailed over Matt Conkie into the back of
the net.
In the first Alsager move of note, a 22nd minute Ryan Baker free kick fell to Doryl Profitt who sent in a
glancing header from close range, albeit wide of the target. Profitt was in action two minutes later when
he clipped a loose ball over our defence forcing ‘Jonah’ to stretch and make the save. In a further
Alsager spell, Jimmy McCarthy broke free from Ryan Dicker before playing in Profitt to his right with an
eventual corner awarded to our visitors. Just after the half hour, Alsager contrived to switch the ball
around inside our box for a short spell during which both Baker and McCarthy had shots, with only the
latter giving ‘Jonah’ any cause for concern. Meanwhile, ‘Pav’ tested Conkie with a shot from an angle
whilst ‘Blacky’ collected a centre from ‘Ash’ Carter before powering a header wide. ‘Blacky’ won a late
corner for ‘The Dabbers’ and from the flag kick, ‘Griggsy’ found the head of ‘Blacky’ who was
desperately unlucky to see his effort rebound off the angle of post and bar before being picked up by
‘Pav’ who followed in with a header from similar distance, only to be denied by Matt Conkie.
Half Time: NANTWICH TOWN 2
v
ALSAGER TOWN 0
Within three minutes of the second half getting underway, ‘The Dabbers’ struck again. With the ball
positioned halfway over on the Alsager left,, Andy Kinsey collected the ball, looked up, and sent in a
superb shot from just inside the touchline that dipped over our visitors defence and across the body of
Conkie before nestling in the bottom far corner of the net.
Shortly after the goal, McCarthy and Profitt combined deep over on our right hand side but, not for the
first time in this derby match, ‘The Dabbers’ regained possession and placed Alsager under further
pressure yet again. Glyn Blackhurst went close again, just before a 55th minute change in attack for
Alsager saw McCarthy make way for Chris Budrys in an effort to provide a much needed lift for the
visitors. But, it was to no avail. ‘The Dabbers’ just simply got stronger as the second period moved into
its latter stages and gave Alsager no respite. ‘Kins’ forced Conkie to tip round a post at the expense of a
corner from a Danny Griggs inside pass, Dean Stokes headed clear from an ‘Ash’ Carter 10 yard effort
before ‘Kins’ inflicted further damage on the weary looking Alsager in the 66th minute when, in a virtual
repeat of his earlier goal, scored his second of the afternoon to provide ‘The Dabbers’ with an almost
unassailable lead. Meanwhile, a Dean Stokes left foot drive from distance had ‘Jonah’ stretching across
his line but, it was a rare effort from Alsager who had been outplayed at almost every turn.
On 68 minutes, ‘The Dabbers’ left Alsager with a mountain to climb. Danny Griggs, working the ball in
front of a back pedalling Alsager defence, passed inside to ‘Pav,’ who in turn brought in ‘Ash’ Carter on
the edge of their 6 yard box leaving ‘Ash’ to react by stroking the ball through a narrow gap between
post and ‘keeper, into the right hand corner of the net. Alsager were dealt a blow when Matt Conkie was
forced to retire with a hand injury leaving Michael Owen to take over in goal. During a late Alsager flurry,
Ashley Miller got in with a close range header, whilst a Chris Budrys close range effort fell wide. But, that
was almost the last to be seen of Alsager. ‘The Dabbers’, having held so much possession,
embarrassed Alsager at almost every turn. Fifteen minutes before normal time, our lads won a right
sided corner from which ‘Donners’ delivered a pin point ball into their 6 yard box, and when the Alsager
defence failed to react, Kevin Ward popped up at the far post to touch the ball home for his first goal
since signing from Spalding United.
In the dying minutes, ‘Kins’ had a close range header tipped behind for a corner, meanwhile; the steady
hands of ‘Jonah’ held Profitt’s effort from a Miller cross before he was called into action again to hold a
Profitt effort.
Steve Davis was full of praise, not only for our players but, for the excellent support received during the
match, saying: “That was breathtaking at times. We hardly gave Alsager a rest and, for the vast majority
of the match, gave them neither time nor space. Every time we went forward we looked like scoring,
which must have provided our huge gathering of supporters with a superb afternoon’s entertainment.
Well done to all”.
Meanwhile, his opposite number, Alsager manager Dean Stokes, was very forthcoming and said: “The
best side won, deserved the win by a long way, whilst we were an embarrassment. No stomach for a
fight on the day and an almost complete lack of desire. Nantwich wanted it, we didn’t. It is as simple as
that”.

Match report written by Phil Johnson