Nantwich Town 5
Goole 1
League (NPL Division 1 South)

Match Report

UniBond League First Division South

Saturday 26th April.2008.

NANTWICH TOWN 5 v Goole FC 1
Ashley Carter.27.48. Chris Jenkinson.12.
Dave Walker.82.84.
Glyn Blackhurst.54.

NANTWICH TOWN: Lee Jones. Paul Donnelly. Paul Taylor. Richard Smith. Ryan Dicker ©. Adam Beasley (Linford 79). Ashley Carter. Glyn Blackhurst (Suhaj 85). Andy Kinsey (Walker 77). Chris Clements. Danny Griggs. Substitutes: Nick Linford. Dave Walker. Pavol Suhaj.

Goole FC: Craig Parry. Craig Robinson. Ian Mclean. Brad Hill ©. Chris Jenkinson. Nigel Danby. James McDaid. Steve Rollinson (Kamara 65). Jos Brown (Tate 65). Duncan Bray. Karl Rose. Substitutes: Chris Tate. Chris Kamara. Liam Chapman.

Referee: Mr P.Dunn. Attendance: 927.

An attendance of 927 witnessed Nantwich Town sweep to a convincing victory over outside play-off contenders Goole FC at The Weaver Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Nantwich welcomed defenders Paul Donnelly and Paul Taylor back into their squad after serving two match suspensions whilst Gyorgy Kiss and Phil Parkinson (Hernia) were rested ahead of Tuesday’s play-off semi final against 6th placed finishers Grantham Town. Wednesday’s goal scoring hero Omar Mahmoud failed a fitness test after suffering a hamstring injury during his 90th minute winner over Kidsgrove.

Nantwich began brightly – Danny Griggs turning a defender deep inside the box in the 2nd minute before placing a firm shot that fell inches wide of the left hand post. However, a minute later, Goole placed Nantwich on the defensive before winning a corner after Donnelly elected to head over the bye line with left winger Rose in close attention. From the corner, Nantwich custodian Lee Jones held firmly from a short range shot from Rose. Nantwich responded by launching an attack that allowed Glyn Blackhurst to fire at the target leaving Goole custodian Craig Parry to palm away for a corner. Three Nantwich consecutive corners later Goole broke out of defence but a midfield intervention by Chris Clements reversed the flow before the Crewe Alexandra youngster forced Parry to stretch for his blistering shot that came in from an angle deep on the left. In the 10th minute, Paul Donnelly passed inside to Andy Kinsey who fired on the turn before striking the side netting from 12 yards out.

But, despite an early flurry from the home side they conceded in the 12th minute from a poorly defended corner allowing central defender Chris Jenkinson to take advantage of a yawning gap between Jones and his defenders to head down over the line from 5 yards out.

Nantwich responded quickly. Kinsey played in Clements 10 yards from goal but his shot on the turn lacked power leaving Parry with an easy save. Moments later, Kinsey fired over from deep on the left but from the goal kick, Adam Beasley played his side into trouble with a poorly executed pass from midfield that eventually led to Goole winning a corner off Richard Smith. From the flag kick, Goole captain Brad Hill fired into the arms of the well positioned Jones. Meanwhile, Goole left back Ian McLean placed a free kick into the path of midfielder Steve Rollinson whose first time shot fell wide of the target.

With the danger finally under control, Nantwich returned to attack and in the 22nd minute Griggs secured a corner following a move down the Goole right hand side. However, Goole dug the ball out of defence and attempted a move down the Nantwich right but back came the home side and in the 27th minute levelled the score line through a super finish from Ashley Carter. In the build up, Griggs worked the ball deep over on the Goole right hand side before looking up and placing a deft shot into the path of the well placed Carter who responded by stooping low to plant a firm angled header past the diving Parry.

On the half hour, Griggs struck the side netting, again from a position deep on the Goole right side before Carter disappointed with a weak shot from his earlier goal scoring position after Clements had left him clear. At the other end, Jones held a firm header from Goole winger Rose whilst at the other end, Kinsey’s 37th minute strike found the back of the net before annulment after he was adjudged to have been in an offside position, a decision that was certainly questionable! However, Nantwich continued with an array of attacks that first witnessed Blackhurst head wide from a Griggs free kick but, almost on the stroke of half time, Clements looked odds on to score when he beat the offside trap only to go and strike the ball at Parry who by now was in no mans land to leave a completely unguarded net.

Half time: NANTWICH TOWN 1 v Goole FC 1

In truth, the second half, by and large, belonged to the home side. Blackhurst went close from a position deep on the right in the 47th minute and was playmaker for Carter who crashed the ball into the roof of the net a minute later from close range after Blackhurst’s initial shot rebounded off a defender 8 yards out.

Blackhurst climbed aboard the score sheet in the 54th minute after good work by Clements allowed Kinsey to cut the ball in from the bye line into the path of Blackhurst who made no mistake from 12 yards to send the home side into a 3 – 1 lead. Blackhurst went close with a header just before the hour whilst Kinsey then fired into the arms of Parry from close range. Just after the hour, Clements was instrumental in bringing Kinsey into play but a Goole defender stepped across his path allowing the ball to overrun. On 68 minutes, Griggs struck the foot of a post after beating Parry only to witness the ball spin along the line and around the outside of the far post – Clements went close after being put through by Paul Donnelly followed by Kinsey, whose close range strike beat Parry and spun along the goal line to eventual safety in an almost carbon copy of Grigg’s earlier effort. Kinsey eventually made way for Dave Walker who within seven minutes of coming twice beat the offside trap before hitting a brace of goals that without doubt, put the result beyond doubt. Pavol Suhaj made a late entry at the expense of Blackhurst before Walker was denied a hat trick by Parry very late in the game when he deflected Walker’s shot for a corner.Within seconds of normal time Carter was desperately unlucky not to make a hat trick when his dipping shot from just inside the box grazed the bar and out for the final goal kick of the game, in the final league game of the season.

The win secures 3rd place for Nantwich Town in the UniBond League First Division South plus a semi final play off tie against 6th placed finishers Grantham Town at The Weaver Stadium next Tuesday evening in a 7.45pm kick off.

A highly delighted head coach Steve Davis commented: “We fully deserved the result. Although we played better in the second half, overall we created 13 goal scoring opportunities and with a little bit more luck and composure, could have added several more to the total. In truth, on the day, the lads were magnificent against what I thought were quite a strong competitive side. The support we had was unbelievable. It is quite a tremendous achievement to attract that many people to a game at this level. Well done to everyone. Long may it continue”.

Match report written by Phil Johnson