Nantwich Town 1
Carlton Town 1
League (NPL Division 1 South)

Match Report

UniBond League First Division South

Tuesday 4th March.2008.

NANTWICH TOWN 1 v Carlton Town 1
Danny Griggs.41. Darryl Thomas.49.

Referee: Mr R.L Johnson. Attendance.260.

NANTWICH TOWN: Craig Ellison. Paul Donnelly. Gyorgy Kiss. Richard Smith. Paul Taylor. Phil Parkinson ©. Ashley Carter. Glyn Blackhurst. Andy Kinsey. Nick Farquharson (Mahmoud.76). Danny Griggs. Substitutes: Adam Beasley. Ryan Dicker. Omar Mahmoud.

Carlton Town: Allesandro Barcherini. Dominic Thomas (Mark Smith.53). Andrew May (Jephson.46). Grant Brindley. Michael Martin ©. Martin Ball. Fabian Smith. Marquin Smith. Philip Bignall. Darryl Thomas. Aidan Brady (Chaplin.64). Substitutes: Mark Smith. Steve Chaplin. David Jephson.

Hours before the match Nantwich were dealt a further injury blow when it was revealed that defender Andy Taylor requires a scan on the ankle he injured last November, despite a recent return to playing.
Meanwhile ‘The Dabbers’ were seeking the double over Carlton and at the same time, take their points tally past the 50 point mark.

Exchanges were even during the opening minutes but, Nantwich stand-in goal keeper Ellison had to react smartly to a looping shot from Carlton right back Andrew May.

Carlton midfielder Fabian Smith tested Ellison with a 25 yard shot in the 4th minute before Nantwich centre half Richard Smith came to the rescue when he timed an intervention well to halt the run of Marquin Smith.

Carlton always looked dangerous on the break but, the visitors were fortunate not to concede in the 8th minute when powerful close range shots from Danny Griggs and Ashley Carter were diverted to safety in a crowded 6 yard box .

Brady’’s 13th minute strike forced Ellison down on his line to make a save whilst at the other end, Nick Farquharson’s ball into the path of Danny Griggs flashed across the face of goal from an angle.

On 20 minutes, Paul Donnelly’s well taken free kick from outside the box almost ended up in the Carlton net after centre half Grant Brindley headed the ball backwards and were it not for the lightning reaction of Barcherini, who tipped the goal bound shot over the bar, the home side would have snatched the lead.

But, the game was constantly interrupted with free kicks and neither side were able to generate rhythm with referee Johnson coming in for criticism in not allowing the game to flow.

However, Nantwich continued to graft and were rewarded with a goal through Danny Griggs in the 41st minute. In the build up to the goal, Griggs moved deep on the right before coming infield just short of the 6 yard box. Timing his move with perfection, the tricky winger burst between the Carlton central defensive partnership of Brindley and Martin before switching out to the right again and firing from an acute angle across the goal keeper into the opposite corner of the net.

Andy Kinsey had the ball in the net in the 48th minute but, the effort was ruled offside. However, a minute later, Carlton were gifted an equalizer when Ellison miss-kicked the ball before it landed at the feet of the lurking Daryl Thomas who, despite a tame shot from 10 yards, managed to squeeze the ball between goal keeper and the right hand post.

Time after time, the game was halted for free kicks and despite the match being far from a physical contest, referee Johnson managed to award 38 in total before the match concluded. Kinsey finished narrowly wide from a Griggs 53rd minute corner before Ashley Carter was hauled down in the box just as he was about to face Barcherini with a shot from an angle. Despite appeals, the referee refused to award a spot kick. On the hour, a mad scramble in the Carlton box ended when a prostrate Farquharson somehow managed to get a shot in off the floor before dragging the effort wide. Glyn Blackhurst went close with a header that was held by the Carlton ‘keeper – Ashley Carter’s 68th minute angled shot was taken at the foot of his near post by the Carlton custodian whilst at the other end, Marquin Smith’s effort was held by Ellison.

But, in the 75th minute, Nick Farquharson was handed a great chance to score from a knock down just outside the 6 yard box. However, over anxiousness led to the on loan Crewe striker blazing the effort over the bar when a shade of composure may well have achieved a different outcome.

In a late Carlton flurry, striker Phil Bignall produced a quality angled cross field ball into the path of Thomas before Smith came to the rescue. Carlton substitute winger Steve Chaplin collected a left wing cross before placing a close range header over the bar whilst at the other end, Andy Kinsey was twice flagged offside in the dying moments as Nantwich continued to press for a winner then, right on the stroke of normal time, Chaplin went close to snatching the win for Carlton when his 20 yard volley looked to be heading over Ellison, fortunately, the effort sailed narrowly over the bar.

Results elsewhere on the night have pushed Nantwich down a place into 6th and outside the play off positions ahead of this weekends visit to 8th in the table Gresley Rovers. Both clubs currently share 48 points.

Nantwich head coach Steve Davis responded with a resigned after match analysis by saying: “Carlton came here with intent and forced us to work fairly hard. They are not a bad side but, in fairness, we provided them with openings they didn’t have to work for. Richard Smith was outstanding at the heart of our defence and, without his presence, I feel we may have lost the game. Unfortunately, the constant interruptions affected the flow of the game which inflicted disadvantages on both sides. But, the reality is, for a variety of reasons, we have lacked continuity since the turn of the year, and it shows up in our play.”

Rodney Densem Wines Man of the Match: Richard Smith. Nantwich Town.

Match report written by Phil Johnson