Alsager Town 1
Nantwich Town 2
League (NPL Division 1 South)

Match Report

UniBond League First Division South

Friday 21st March.2008. Kick off 7.45pm

Alsager Town 1 v NANTWICH TOWN 2
Chris Budrys.37. Nick Farquharson. 4.
Andy Kinsey.62

Alsager Town: Danny Roberts. Tim Sanders. Liam McMann.
Wayne Brotherton© (Talbot.84). David Whittaker. Mark Soboljew.
Ashley Miller. Michael Morton. Chris Budrys. Jimmy McCarthy.
Oliver Edwards (White.70). Substitutes: Steve Millington. Lee
Talbot. Jordan White.

NANTWICH TOWN: Lee Jones. Paul Donnelly. Paul Taylor.
Richard Smith. Ryan Dicker. Phil Parkinson ©. Ashley Carter. Glyn
Blackhurst. Andy Kinsey. Nick Farquharson (Walker.74). Danny
Griggs. Substitutes: Dave Walker. Nick Linford. Pavol Suhaj.

Referee: Mr A.J Horton. Attendance: 380.

Alsager were first to show but Nantwich right back Paul Donnelly
was on hand to clear deep in his own half from an Oliver Edwards
cross in the first minute. The ‘Bullets’ then gained a corner after
Ashley Miller’s shot from the edge of the box glanced off a
Nantwich defender and over the bye line. But, ‘The Dabbers’
weathered the early storm before taking the lead through Nick
Farquharson in the 4th minute. In the build up, Nantwich converted
pressure down the Alsager right into a corner. Danny Griggs
elected to take the flag kick before delivering an in swinging ball to
the centre of the goal mouth where desperate activity took place
as players scrambled for the ball. However, just as Alsager looked
to have made a partial clearance, Farquharson pounced to drive
the ball into the roof of the net from close range.

Controversy reigned in the 8th minute when Alsager striker Jimmy
McCarthy was seen to go down in the box after close attention
from ‘Dabbers’ striker Andy Kinsey. Argument from both sides
continued with referee Horton before the assistant referee on the
main stand side declared that McCarthy had dived under challenge
and Alsager’s plea for a penalty was thus ruled out. Alsager’s
method of power play allowed them to dictate proceedings for a
while and in the 13th minute, ‘Dabbers’ goal keeper Lee Jones
performed well in punching clear a corner from an Ashley Miller
flag kick. However, Nantwich gradually reversed the flow and from
good work deep on the Alsager right a long throw-in from Glyn
Blackhurst reached Paul Donnelly who moved across in front of
the central defenders before placing a right footed shot from 10
yards that unfortunately fell wide of the target. But, Nick
Farquharson really should have increased his side’s lead in the
20th minute. Good link up play between Griggs and Ashley Carter
allowed Carter to feed the ball into Farquharson on the left hand
edge of the 6 yard box. As Farquharson steadied, a mere three
yards stood between him and goal keeper Roberts and it looked
odds on that Farquharson would score. Embarrassingly, the on
loan Crewe striker could produce no better than scoop the ball
high over the bar followed by a bitterly disappointed sigh from the
large Nantwich contingent packed in the nearby main stand.
Farquharson was then denied a chance to atone for his earlier
error following Ashley Carter’s run from the right of midfield.
Despite a couple of challenges, Carter’s run took him deep toward
the edge of the box before crossing to Farquharson at the far post
but, just as the striker was about to tee up a shot, Roberts came
off his line to gather the ball. Meanwhile, at the other end,
McCarthy put in a shot that fizzed wide of the target before
Donnelly brought the ball out of defence, won two very important
challenges before crossing to Kinsey at the far post but, just as the
Nantwich striker reached for the ball the pace ushered it over the
bye line. The ‘Dabbers’ were showing signs of taking hold of the
match and just past the half hour constructed a five man move
from midfield that ended with a shot from Griggs that was held by
Roberts. But, despite Nantwich holding the initiative they conceded
in the 37th minute courtesy of a Chris Budry’s goal. Having
gathered Griggs shot, Roberts delivered a long clearance that fell
halfway inside the opposition half from where Budry’s ran on after
beating the offside trap to fire past Lee Jones from around 15
yards to level the score.
Nantwich were fortunate not to concede again just before the
break after Ryan Dicker lost his footing allowing Soboljew to ease
past the defender before putting in a powerful shot from outside
the box that Jones did well to save on the line. Then, moments
before the whistle, McCarthy tested Jones with a powerful shot
from an angle leaving the ‘Dabbers’ goal keeper to react by
palming away for a corner.
Nantwich emerged from the dressing room early, keen to get
underway and search for an early goal. But, it was the home side
that started where they left off. Five minutes into the second period
the busy McCarthy won the ball from Donnelly before placing a
shot toward goal that was gathered by Jones followed by Nantwich
target Dave Whittaker, who came up from defence for an Alsager
free kick before rising 10 yards out to power a header over the bar.
But Nantwich were in no mood to allow their hosts control and
gradually clawed back the initiative. However, ’The ‘Dabbers’
celebration of Andy Kinsey’s strike on the hour proved to be
premature after the goal was ruled out for an alleged foul on
central defender Wayne Brotherton. Kinsey, though, was
determined to get on the score sheet and succeeded a couple of
minutes later when he planted a deft header into the back of the
net from a Griggs in swinging corner to put ‘The Dabbers’ back in
front.
The game then became somewhat fractious. Nantwich skipper Phil
Parkinson was fouled by McCarthy during a spell when Alsager
were looking to get back on level terms. Wayne Brotherton
managed to fire a close range shot from an Ashley Miller cross that
drifted wide of the target but Nantwich were guilty of poor
defending when they allowed the Alsager midfielder a virtual free
run from the left hand edge of their box before making the cross.
Meanwhile, at the other end, a Paul Taylor free kick floated straight
through to Roberts just before White replaced Edwards for the
home side whilst Walker for Nantwich came on for Farquharson
followed shortly afterwards by Millington being replaced by Morton
for the home side. The tempo of the game resulted in several
bookings, whilst the match came to a halt in the 83rd minute due to
an injury to Wayne Brotherton who was eventually removed from
the pitch on a stretcher to be replaced by Talbot.
Two minutes from normal time, Nantwich finished strongly after
Walker’s close range shot rebounded off Roberts at the expense of
a corner and from Grigg’s flag kick Kinsey let fly from outside the 6
yard box with a fiercely driven shot that struck the angle of post
and bar before hitting Miller on the chest and deflecting away to
safety. However, Alsager made one last effort to get back on level
terms. A surge down the Nantwich left resulted in a free kick after
Nantwich left back Taylor fouled Miller just outside the box but,
placed handily at the far post was Andy Kinsey, to head clear the
danger before the almost frenetic local derby moved into added
time, albeit without further score.
Nantwich head coach Steve Davis was understandably happy with
the result but said:- “ We were under no illusions, departing here
with maximum points was always going to be an uphill task. But,
despite Alsager having a go we dug in and came out on top in a
must win situation that further assists our promotion hopes”.

Match report written by Phil Johnson