Colne  1
Nantwich Town 3
FA Cup (Preliminary Round)

Match Report

FA Cup Preliminary Round.

Saturday 1st September.2007.

Colne (North West Counties 1st Division) 1 v NANTWICH TOWN 3
Kevin Urwins.25 Ashley Carter.82.
Andy Kinsey.88.
Andy Bott.90.

NANTWICH TOWN: Dave Kocjak.Paul Donnelly.Paul Taylor.Richard Smith.Ryan Dicker.Phil Parkinson.Ashley Carter.Nick Linford. Glyn Blackhurst. Pavol Suhaj.Danny Griggs.Substitutes: Andy Kinsey.Adam Beasley.Andy Bott.Wayne Teague.Rob Hackney (g/k)

Nantwich were boosted by the return from injury of Adam Beasley,Andy Bott, plus goal keeper Rob Hackney for the trip to the notorious Holt House Stadium, whose sloping pitch never gets any easier. Playing down the slope,with a strong wind at their backs,Nantwich found ball control difficult during the first half.However,’The Dabbers’ opened brightly with Pavol Suhaj,Ashley Carter and Paul Donnelly involved in early threats on the Colne goal, whilst at the other end, Ryan Dicker did well to halt the threat of Colne’s leading scorer Liam Garbutt, after the lively forward foraged deep on the visitors left on 8 minutes in an attempt to cross to his partner in attack,Kevin Urwins.Despite winning a series of corners in the first quarter hour a combination of shots off target and the alertness of home ‘keeper Mark Crossley denied the visitors whilst at the other end, the impressive ‘Dabbers’ right back Paul Donnelly was instrumental in breaking up attacks on his flank before moving the ball through to midfield with regularity.Against the run of play,Nantwich conceded in the 25th minute when their left side of defence failed to shut down the run of Urwins, who got on the end of a long ball out of defence by Crossley, before throwing off the challenges of Dicker and Taylor and placing a left foot drive from just inside the box past Kocjak into the bottom left corner of the net.The lively Garbutt was to prove a continual threat as the half wore on and Dicker did well to block the Colne No.10 on the bye line before clearing the ball down field and bringing his side in to attack once more.Glyn Blackhurst was unlucky to see a close range header from a corner fall narrowly wide whilst the ‘Dabbers’ No.8 followed when he rose above his marker to plant a Danny Griggs flag kick inches over the bar just past the half hour.At the other end, Kocjak did well to block a close range shot from Urwins after central defender Rosser had played him in from a free kick halfway inside his half,meanwhile’Dabbers’ central defender Richard Smith’s great ball from deep in his own half agonizingly skipped past the unmarked Griggs deep on the left and the chance was gone.Almost on the stroke of half time, Donnelly tested Crossley with a superb angled strike from just inside the Colne half that forced the ‘keeper backwards but regained composure in the nick of time.Despite gaining a series of 8 corners and having the majority of possession in the first period, Nantwich still trailed to that 25th minute Urwins goal.

Eleven minutes into the second half, Steve Davis elected to change things around and began by introducing Andy Kinsey at the expense of Pavol Suhaj.Meanwhile,Colne winger Cooper was only a whisker away from increasing his side’s lead when a narrow angled shot from the left whistled past the foot of the opposite post.For a time, Nantwich were on the defensive, and once again Donnelly was called into action,this time in the 63rd minute after Garbutt had foraged deep on the right before the ‘Dabbers’ prominent right back cleverly shepherded the ball away from the No.11.Nantwich,showing signs of frustration at not being able to climb back on level terms, continued to plug away but, with the match entering the final quarter hour, it was becoming ever more difficult to see where a goal might come from.A Blackhurst centre agonizingly skimmed off the head of Kinsey, perched 3 yards off the left hand post, whilst at the other end, Donnelly headed off the line after Urwin delivered a close range header that had the beating of Kocjak.Dicker then headed wide from a corner before Davis made a second change in replacing Linford with Andy Bott in the 70th minute.For Colne,Urwin and Garbutt continued to threaten with Urwins 77th minute volley from halfway inside the ‘Dabbers’ half narrowly wide of the target.Smith and Donnelly were alert to the threat of Garbutt in the 78th minute but,thankfully,that was almost the last to be seen of the home side as Nantwich proceeded to turn the game on it’s head.An 80th minute Blackhurst close range strike was well held by Crossley but,the custodian was well beaten in the 82nd minute when Ashley Carter finished off a rebound from an initial Kinsey shot that struck the underside of the cross bar before falling into the path of the youngster to bring the scores level. Kocjak performed well to block a late strike from Urwins before a late,late goal from Andy Kinsey sent Nantwich into the lead.An 88th minute Danny Griggs free kick, deep on the Colne left, was delivered into the path of the well placed Kinsey, who timed the climb above his marker well before finishing the move off with a deft header into the top far corner of the net. Blackhurst then tested Crossley with a fierce shot from 15 yards that forced the ‘keeper to save on his line before Bott stunned the home side with a 90th minute close range shot that effectively killed the game off.Colne,in a desperate effort to get forward,and playing high up the pitch,left themselves with minimal cover at the back and consequently paid the price when Nantwich combined to split open the defence with a ball into the feet of the on side Griggs.Despite a challenge from central defender Rosser,Griggs proceeded toward goal,Crossley came way off his line in an effort to halt Griggs,leaving Bott to finish off the move after being played in by Griggs from over on the left.

A relieved Nantwich head coach Steve Davis commented: “I said before the game,Colne would make it difficult for us, and they did, but, in fairness, we tended to make it difficult for ourselves.We didn’t play badly, but then again we didn’t match up to our normal standards. Credit to the lads though, they kept plugging away, and as result we have reached the first qualifying round with a home tie against Ashton United.I have to be honest and say that I thought we were on our way out in this one but,it proves you should never give up, even when all is seemingly lost”.

Match report written by Phil Johnson