Nantwich Town 4
Belper Town 1
League (NPL Division 1 South)

Match Report

NANTWICH TOWN 4 (Kinsey 10,45, 75 pen; Griggs, 51)
BELPER TOWN 1 (Smith 85)

UniBond Division One South - Saturday 12 April 2008
Attendance: 564 Referee: S.P. Bennett

Nantwich: Lee Jones, Paul Donnelly, Gyorgy Kiss, Richard Smith, Paul Taylor, Phil Parkinson, Ashley Carter, Chris Clements, Andy Kinsey, Nick Linford, Danny Griggs. Subs: Adam Beasley (for Linford, 66), Pavol Suhaj (for Kinsey, 77), Omar Mahmood (for Griggs, 72). Booked: Taylor (foul, 35)

Belper: Paul Pettinger, Joe Appleyard, Andy Rushbury, Krystof Kotylo, Richard Haigh, Scott Lowe, Michael Harcourt, Lee Stevenson, Ross Hannah, Anthony Wilson, Ben Walker. Subs: Danny Hudson (for Appleyard, H-t), Peter Smith (for Walker, 66), Richard Tracey (for Hannah, 76). Booked: Wilson (foul, 55), Kotylo (dissent, 56),Hannah (dissent, 62).

Nantwich head coach Steve Davis called for his side to step up their performance after last week’s disappointing defeat at Belper but he was without Glyn Blackhurst (knee injury) as the Dabbers sought to cement their place in the play-off zone. Regular custodian Lee Jones returned from injury and Crewe Alex loanee Chris Clements was drafted into the starting line-up whilst Cheshire Senior Cup final hero Pavol Suhaj had to settle for a place on the bench.

The Dabbers took early control of the game and Kinsey chested the ball into the path of Carter only for Lowe to stretch across to avert the danger. Kiss then had a 25 yard strike fly wide of the target before Nantwich made their early pressure tell on 10 minutes. Clements laid the ball wide to Griggs who beat his man before clipping the ball into the danger area where Clements was on hand to touch the ball on to Kinsey who crashed past Pettinger from six yards.

Carter had a chance to increase the lead shortly afterwards but Pettinger came to the visitors’ rescue after Griggs’ through ball had put the former Port Vale youngster in the clear. On 20 minutes, Linford neatly made space for himself before driving inches wide of the upright as Nantwich continued to dictate matters.

Belper briefly showed as successive fouls by Taylor earned the Nailers two free-kicks just outside the area. The first saw Rushbury’s swerving free-kick headed clear and when Stevenson quickly took the second, Richard Smith was on hand to close out dangerman Hannah.

With the interval approaching, Nantwich re-asserted themselves. Kinsey was proving a handful for the Belper defence and when he nodded Donnelly’s long free-kick into the danger area it was just beyond Clements’ outstretched boot. Then, as the game entered added time, Carter was shoved off the ball and from Griggs’ floated free-kick, Kinsey headed sweetly past Pettinger.

The Dabbers continued to press after the break and, six minutes in, the game was all but over. Donnelly lofted the ball into the area and Kinsey’s flick header fell at the feet of Griggs just beyond the back stick. The former Crewe trainee twisted and turned before firing cleverly across Pettinger into the corner of the net to make it 3-0.

Jones was called on to make a diving save after Harcourt’s free-kick flicked off the top of Richard Smith’s head and the Nantwich keeper was then on hand to collect Hannah’s tame free-kick.

Nantwich regained the upper hand and, on 70 minutes, Clements had an effort ruled out for offside after Donnelly had struck the post following a surging run. Five minutes later, it was 4-0. Hannah, not enjoying the best of afternoons, did not get enough on his back pass and, as substitute Mahmood nipped in to round Pettinger, he was clumsily brought down by the Belper keeper. Kinsey calmly stepped up to stroke home the spot-kick for a well deserved hat-trick.

Carter nearly added to the tally when he jinked round the visiting defence but he couldn’t direct his shot on target.

Belper struggled to make much of an impression all afternoon but they didn’t let their heads drop and gained reward five minutes from time. For once Jones wasn’t able to claim a high ball into the area and Peter Smith was on hand to head Lowe’s cross into the unguarded net.

A Suhaj header from Beasley’s corner lacked power and the Slovakian then headed down for Carter to volley wide. Although the Dabbers were unable to go nap, head coach Steve Davis would have been pleased with a comfortable victory against play-off rivals who had threatened to become something of a bogey team for the Weaver men.

Rodney Densems Wines Man of the Match: Andy Kinsey

Match report written by Michael Chatwin