Nantwich Town 1
Warrington Town 0
League (NPL Division 1 South)

Match Report

UniBond League First Division South

Monday 24th March.2008.


NANTWICH TOWN 1 v Warrington Town 0
Nick Farquharson.18.

NANTWICH TOWN: Craig Ellison. Paul Donnelly. Paul Taylor. Richard Smith (Linford 23). Ryan Dicker. Phil Parkinson ©. Ashley Carter. Glyn Blackhurst. Andy Kinsey (Suhaj 48). Nick Farquharson. Danny Griggs. Substitutes: Nick Linford. Dave Walker. Pavol Suhaj.

Warrington Town: Diago Bassanini. Brian Homes. Chris Fitzsimmons. Thomas Spearritt ©. Michael Owens. Karl Brown (Bell 70). Anthony Daniels (Grogan 60). Francis Smith. Carl Rendell. Thomas Lamb. Steve Everett. Substitutes: Andrew Thomas. Michael Grogan. Martin Bell.

Referee: Mr S. Martin. Attendance. 549.

The Nantwich injury hoodoo struck yet again, on this occasion both before, and during the match. First, regular goalkeeper Lee Jones was forced to withdraw due to a reoccurrence of a recent groin injury whilst left back Gyorgy Kiss was ruled out with a back injury. Meanwhile, centre half Richard Smith and striker Andy Kinsey required hospital check ups after sustaining head injuries before being released later in the day. Before kick off, and despite a bitterly cold strong wind, another healthy attendance gathered at The Weaver Stadium, in particular the anxious home supporters who were hoping ‘The Dabbers’ could maintain their push for promotion with a fourth consecutive victory.

Warrington were first to show when midfielder Francis Smith made a break down the Nantwich left flank before shooting from an angle that stand-in ‘Dabbers’ goal keeper Craig Ellison did well to hold.

At the other end, Nick Farquharson was presented with a couple of opportunities, the latter when he placed a glancing header wide of the right hand post. Danny Griggs looked odds on to score from close range in the 6th minute but his weak shot drifted wide of the right hand post. Meanwhile, Warrington won a corner and from the flag kick Anthony Daniels dived to meet Karl Brown’s incoming ball before the lightning reaction of Ellison denied him a goal after the on loan Witton Albion youngster dived sharply on to his line to make the save.

Former Witton and Leek striker Carl Rendell could do no better than produce a wild shot from deep over on the Nantwich left despite being in a threatening position, and from the wind assisted goal kick Andy Kinsey brought the ball down before teeing up Danny Griggs lurking handily at the far post before the pace of the ball proved excessive and a good opportunity was wasted as the ball skipped over the bye line.

Just past the quarter hour, Ellison was called into action to block at the feet of visitors striker Thomas Lamb whilst a minute later Ellison again did well, this time when he denied Rendell from 12 yards.

Nantwich went ahead in the 18th minute from an almost bizarre situation. Ellison cleared down field with a wind assisted shot – the high ball dropped – stopped – the opposing ‘keeper Bassanini came off his line and, despite the intervention of a fellow defender, both missed the ball – the lurking Farquharson stuck a leg out and produced sufficient roll on it to enable the ball to creep over the line from around 10 yards. Five minutes after the opening goal, play was suspended when Richard Smith sustained a head injury following a collision with goal keeper Craig Ellison. Following treatment, Ellison was able to continue whilst Smith was aided to the dressing before leaving for hospital.

Visitors right back Fitzsimmons headed over the bar from close range in the 24th minute whilst a minute later Nantwich almost increased their lead, albeit from another bizarre situation when a high ball from a corner dropped a yard out from Bassanini – the ball spun backwards and looked to be rolling over the line but instead, it took a diversion before finishing at the feet of the ‘keeper providing him with the opportunity to hack it away, albeit at the expense of a throw-in.

40th minute interchanges between Kinsey and Farquharson gave Blackhurst the opportunity to place a header toward the target before it drifted wide in the strong wind whilst at the other end Ashley Carter dropped deep to halt the run of opposing winger Everett.

Nantwich, playing into the wind for the second period, lost Andy Kinsey to a head injury a minute into the restart. A flying elbow, allegedly from Warrington centre half Michael Owens left Kinsey with a large gash in the back of his head for which he too was taken to hospital. Substitute striker Pavol Suhaj headed wide from a Carter ball in the 50th minute whilst Suhaj produced a virtual repeat a minute later, again with a header from a Carter ball that unfortunately evaded the target. Play was halted in the 52nd minute, first due to a head injury sustained by Warrington right back Brian Holmes followed by Nantwich left back Paul Taylor who sustained an eye injury which, despite treatment, kept him off the pitch for a while.

Just after the hour, Paul Donnelly produced two critical defensive moves that kept out, first Rendell and then Lamb. Nantwich skipper Phil Parkinson also came to ‘The Dabbers’ rescue following a scramble in the Nantwich 6 yard box that initially presented Rendell with a shot before Parkinson whipped the ball from the strikers feet. However, as important as the clearance was the effect of the strong wind turned the ball back toward the box allowing Warrington midfielder francis smith to fire a close range shot that Ellison performed well to hold.

Moments before normal time, Suhaj placed an effort from deep on the left toward the near post that Bassanini only just held before ‘Dabbers’ midfielder Nick Linford won a late corner that took a deflection allowing a second flag kick. However, despite the addition of time Nick Farquharson’s first half strike proved sufficient to secure maximum points for Nantwich which allows them to maintain third position ahead of this Saturday’s visit from fellow promotion contenders Stocksbridge Park Steels.

Nantwich head coach Steve Davis was somewhat relieved at the finish saying: “I’ll settle for that, particularly after further disruptions to the side. Conditions were far from ideal with the strong wind affecting the game. Once again, we had to dig in against dogged opposition and, as I have said on a number of occasions recently, as we fight to secure a promotion place, games are going to pan out like this so our football at times has to take second place”.

Rodney Densem Wines ‘Man of the Match’. Paul Donnelly.

Match report written by Phil Johnson