Northwich Victoria 0
Nantwich Town 1
Cheshire Senior Cup (2nd Round)

Match Report

Cheshire Senior Cup. Quarter Final.

Tuesday 13th November.2007.

Northwich Victoria 0 v NANTWICH TOWN 1
Danny Griggs (pen) 7.

Referee: Mr A.D Hutchinson. Attendance.234.

NORTHWICH VICTORIA: Ben Connett. Richard Battersby ©. Danny Jarrett.
Greg Strong. Ryan Brown. Jake Johnson. Simon Rusk. Josh Wilson. Luke
Horrocks. Brad Maylett. Lee Steele. Substitutes: Scott Tynan G/K. Michael
Welch. Michael Carr. Dominic Taylor. Dino Maamria.

NANTWICH TOWN: Lee Jones. Kelvin Mellor. Gyorgy Kiss. Richard Smith. Ryan
Dicker. Phil Parkinson ©. Ashley Carter. Glyn Blackhurst. Andy Kinsey. Robin
Gibson. Danny Griggs. Substitutes: Pavol Suhaj. Adam Beasley. Nick Linford.

‘The Dabbers’ took a 7th minute lead through a Danny Griggs penalty. The
penalty was awarded after Ryan Brown blocked Andy Kinsey’s goal bound shot
on the line with his left arm. Brown was shown a straight red card by referee Mr
Hutchinson leaving the Blue Square Premier bottom club to play with 10 men for
the remainder of the tie.

Kelvin Mellor’s shot looked destined for the back of the net until a split second
reaction from ‘Vics’ ‘keeper Ben Connett denied the 16 year old with a turn
around the post for a ‘Dabbers’ corner. ‘Kins’ followed shortly afterwards with a
close range shot that Connett just managed to tip over the bar, whilst a further
effort from ‘Kins’ came via a rising shot that fizzed past the ‘keepers right hand
post. ‘The Dabbers’ were enjoying playing on The Victoria Stadiums’ excellent
surface, stroking the ball around with consummate ease at times, and looking the
most likely to notch a further goal in the first period. On the quarter hour, Ryan
Dicker went close with a header from a ‘Griggsy’ free kick before central
defender Danny Jarrett was booked for a heavy challenge on ‘Kins’ just as he
was about to break through on goal from 12 yards out. In a further ‘Dabbers’
assault, Battersby hooked the ball off the line at the expense of a corner followed
by ‘Blacky’ whose fierce shot from the edge of the box was deflected away from
the target by the under pressure ‘Vics’ back line. Meanwhile, the home sides’ first
shot on target arrived in the 38th minute when striker Brad Maylett shot from
distance, albeit without troubling Lee Jones who, up to that point, had largely
been troubled.

Half time: Northwich Victoria 0 v NANTWICH TOWN 1

Within a minute of the restart, ‘Blacky’ had a close range shot blocked by the
Northwich defence before ‘Kins’ was fouled just outside the area. ‘Griggsy’
elected to take the free kick before witnessing the ball fall a yard wide of the right
hand post. ‘Parky’ and ‘Kins’ fired close range shots that were hacked off the line
but, for all their endeavor, ‘The Dabbers’ were denied by a combination of bad
luck, quality goalkeeping, and a number of delayed efforts when first time shots
may well have brought further reward.

Northwich introduced Bury centre half loan signing Dominic Taylor at the
expense of Danny Jarrett whilst current manager Dino Maamria and Michael Carr
entered the fray a while later. Connett pulled off the save of the tie when he
denied ‘Ash’ Carter’s close range shot to palm away the strike made on the turn
whilst on the hour, Battersby saved his ‘keeper from embarrasment after Connett
had messed up a Robin Gibson centre before losing out to eagle eyed ‘Blacky’
who nipped in to strike the loose ball before the Northwich captain cleared from
under the bar.

A rare mistake by Ryan Dicker almost let in Michael Carr during a late stage of
the tie but, Carr wasted the opportunity to pull his side level. In fairness to the
home side, albeit with 10 men, their second half performance was an
improvement, and acquired more of the possession as the half wore on but, it
was never really enough to seriously threaten ‘The Dabbers’ who may have
nicked a goal close to the whistle had ‘Kins’ strike from a ‘Griggs’ inside ball been
on target after central defender Taylor was caught napping.

Northwich goalkeeper Ben Connett was by far the busiest of the two ‘keepers
throughout the evening but, credit to him for keeping out ‘Kins’, ‘Blacky’ ‘Ash’
Carter and, the penalty apart, match winner ‘Griggsy’, whilst ‘Dabbers’ right back
Kelvin Mellor earned growing respect of the considerable Nantwich following with
a mature display against considerably older, and far more experienced players.

Match report written by Phil Johnson