Chorley 1
Nantwich Town 2 (AET)
NPL Presidents Trophy (2nd Round)

Match Report

UniBond League Presidents Cup.2nd Round.

Tuesday 30th October.2007.Kick off.7.45pm

Chorley 1 v NANTWICH TOWN 2
Neil Smith.70. Andy Kinsey.18.
Nick Linford.91

NANTWICH TOWN: Lee Jones. Paul Donnelly. Paul Taylor. Richard Smith. Phil Parkinson©.
Ashley Carter. Adam Beasley. Nick Linford. Andy Kinsey. Pavol Suhaj. Danny Griggs.
Substitutes: Nathan Southern. Glyn Blackhurst.

Nantwich added Monday’s goalkeeper signing Lee Jones to their squad for the match against
Chorley with head coach Steve Davis electing to view the 37 year old former Blackpool /
Stockport County and Darlington ‘keeper in competitive action before taking a decision on the
Winsford based player’s future at The Weaver Stadium. Meanwhile, recent signing Robin
Gibson was rested after picking up a knock on the ankle at the weekend, whilst Andy Bott and
Ryan Dicker were unavailable. Youth team striker Nathan Southern started on the bench before
replacing Andy Kinsey in the 70th minute whilst ‘Dabbers’ captain Phil Parkinson played a
central defensive role in the absence of Dicker.

Nantwich took the lead in the 18th minute through Andy Kinsey following good work by
Paul Donnelly and Ashley Carter. Carter’s final ball into the box blasted into the roof of
the net from close range by Kinsey.

Moments earlier, Chorley striker Neil Smith sent in a dipping shot from distance but, it failed to
trouble Jones in the Nantwich goal.
For the remainder of the first period, play switched ends but ,it was Nantwich who always looked
the most likely to score.

In the second half, Nantwich midfielder Adam Beasley threatened with a close range header
after good support work by Paul Taylor before Ashley Carter passed to Kinsey close on goal,
only to graze a post with a header. Chorley then raised their game with the best chance falling
to Smith whose effort from the edge of the box fell wide of the target.

Nantwich won consecutive corners in the 65th minute, neither proving a threat, before Chorley
striker Neil Davies made no mistake in the 70th minute when his crisp shot from close range
gave Jones no chance, to bring the tie level. Both sides frantically sought the winner in normal
time but, it was Nantwich’s Ashley Carter who really should have secured the tie right on the
stroke of normal time when his close range shot agonizingly went straight at the goalkeeper.

However, 30 seconds into the first period of extra time, a goal from Nantwich midfielder
Nick Linford put ‘The Dabbers’ back into the lead . Nathan Southern timed his pass
inside to Linford with perfection before Linford crashed the ball home from inside the
box. Linford went close again in the second period of extra time whilst the strike pairing of
Suhaj and Nathan Southern both had opportunities as the game moved to a close, Suhaj had a
firm strike from inside the box saved on the line, whilst Southern was twice unlucky with shots
from distance.

Nantwich head coach Steve Davis was full of praise for his players, saying:- “ For a number of
reasons, we had to put out a different line-up than at the weekend and although the match
wasn’t the best in terms of entertainment, the lads adapted to the changes and battled through
to give us victory”.

Match report written by Phil Johnson