Nantwich Town 4
Shepshed Dynamo 2
League (NPL Division 1 South)

Match Report

UniBond League First Division South

Tuesday 18th March.2008

NANTWICH TOWN 4 v Shepshed Dynamo 2 Griggs 70.93(P), Farquharson.45, Mahmoud 50; Wilks.7, Menga.61

Nantwich Town: Lee Jones. Paul Donnelly. Gyorgy Kiss. Paul Taylor. Richard Smith. Phil Parkinson ©. Omar Mahmoud (Carter.65). Glyn Blackhurst. Andy Kinsey. Nick Farquharson. Danny Griggs. Substitutes: Ashley Carter. Nick Linford. Pavol Suhaj.

Shepshed Dynamo: Gary Hateley. James Whitehead. Dan Fletcher (Peel.64). Chris Peat. Matt Milns. Malcolm Power (Massingham.35). David Williams (Francis.80). Tim Wilks. Lheureux Menga. Jamie Clarke. Sam Saunders. Substitutes: Phil Massingham. Eugine Francis. Russell Peel.

Referee: Mr D.A Croft. Attendance: 376.

Nantwich fell behind to a Tim Wilks goal in the 7th minute. ‘The Dabbers’ failed to halt the run of Wilks from deep on their left flank and after bursting past Gyorgy Kiss the Shepshed midfielder turned into the box and let fly with a powerful strike that flashed across the front of Lee Jones into the far bottom corner of the net.

For Nantwich, Andy Kinsey’s 13th minute close range shot on the turn from inside the area was blocked on the edge of the 6 yard box – Donnelly, Kinsey and Farquharson combined two minutes later to set up a promising move that broke down on the left edge of the 6 yard box when Farquharson pulled back just as it seemed he was going to burst through on goal.

Just before the half hour, Jamie Clarke tested Lee Jones with a square ball from deep on the left – meanwhile, a 37th minute Danny Griggs left sided free kick beat the wall – was touched on by Parkinson into the opposite corner of the net but, an assistant referee claimed that Blackhurst was in an offside position and, despite appeals, the goal was ruled out.

Five minutes before the break, Blackhurst placed a close range header from a corner over the bar – Farquharson’s 44th minute glancing header from a Griggs free kick was held on the line by Hateley but, right on the stroke of 45 minutes, Farquharson latched on to a ball in the box before making space and firing across Hateley into the opposite corner of the net for his 6th goal since his loan signing from Crewe Alexandra.

The first period, which commenced half an hour late due to the visitors being held up on the M6, was hardly a classic with Nantwich struggling to create an even tempo for the majority of the half.

Five minutes into the second half and ‘The Dabbers’ regained the initiative with a well executed goal from 16 year old Osmar Mamood in his first start since arriving from Port Vale. In the build up, Andy Kinsey had a shot from 15 yards turned away by the Shepshed defence – Blackhurst seized on the clearance before bringing Donnelly into play deep on the right and from the resultant cross field ball, Mahmood crashed the ball into the roof of the net from 2 yards out despite challenges from both the goal keeper and a defender.

But, despite taking the lead Nantwich were once again guilty of poor defending when they allowed a ball from a 61st minute corner to drop into the 6 yard box leaving Menga to touch the ball into the net with relative ease.

Stung by the relapse, Nantwich stepped up a gear and pushed Shepshed on the defensive before re-taking the lead through a fine Danny Griggs goal in the 70th minute after Farquharson shrugged off a challenge and brought the long serving winger into play before finishing with a dipping volley from just outside the box.

The match became a little fractious at times and several bookings were made by referee Croft, the majority involving Shepshed players.

Andy Kinsey’s 84th minute 15 yard shot was pushed away by the ‘keeper - Griggs square ball from deep found Carter on the right but, the close range first time shot from the substitute winger was held by Hateley just before five minutes of added time was signaled. That left Nantwich with just enough time to score again, this time from the spot after Saunders felled Griggs just as the Nantwich winger turned for goal 5 yards inside the box. Griggs stepped up to take the penalty and finished clinically with a powerful low drive that gave Hateley no opportunity to make a save.

The win elevates Nantwich into 3rd place ahead of Friday night’s local derby away to Alsager Town but, with the chase for the play off places getting tighter by the week ‘The Dabbers’ know they will have to be on top form if they are to return from Wood Park with a result and stay in the running.

Head coach Steve Davis acknowledged that the match wasn’t a classic and said:- “The result was far more important than the performance. We hardly got our act together in the first half and it was a relief to go in level at the break. In the second half we stepped up a gear, took the lead and then shot ourselves in the foot with another dose of poor defending. But, persistence won through in the end and that is how we will have to apply ourselves for the remainder of the season in order to achieve our target."

Match report written by Phil Johnson