Worksop Town 0
Nantwich Town 4
League (NPL Premier Division)

Match Report

Saturday 23rd August.2008

WORKSOP TOWN 0 v NANTWICH TOWN 4
Tickle.3
Lennon. 22. 72. 76 (pen)

WORKSOP TOWN: Hernandez. Ludlam. Davies. Rowland. Wilson. Boyce. Robinson (McClements 19). Dempsey. White. Sanasy. Cockerill. Substitutes: Stansfield. Jennings. McClements. Lee. Smith

NANTWICH TOWN: Jones. Taylor. Tickle (Smith 33). Tinson. O’Loughlin. Parkinson ©. Carter (Gibson 65). Blackhurst (Hawthorne 78). Shotton. Lennon. Heler. Substitutes: Gibson. Smith. Hawthorne. Walker. Beasley.

Referee: Mr J.W Thornhill.

MATCH REPORT

A superb all round team performance from the ‘Dabbers’ secured our first win in the Premier Division leaving Worksop to wonder just what hit them as they quickly ran out of ideas to contain us at Watnall Road on Saturday last.

Meanwhile, there was just one change to the ‘Dabbers’ line-up following the midweek defeat at Hednesford – Liam Shotton taking the No.9 shirt at the expense of Robin Gibson, who started from the bench.

On a small, but lively, well prepared pitch, Nantwich won the toss and immediately placed Worksop on the back foot and with the game barely three minutes old the ‘Dabbers’ swept into the lead courtesy of an inch perfect corner kick from Dave Tickle, the ball swinging outwards before turning in behind the Worksop defence - across the body of Hernandez who completely misjudged the ball, before it bent inch perfect to glide in at the far post.

A 7th minute back header from ‘Ash’ Carter, just outside the box, narrowly failed to reach the well placed Liam Shotton whilst two minutes later, Worksop secured their first corner that was dealt with effectively by our alert rearguard. Play was then momentarily suspended whilst treatment was applied to Worksop’s Robinson and Dave Tickle who reached the 33rd minute before having to leave the pitch due to a calf injury, Richard Smith taking the left back slot through to the finish.

Meanwhile, ‘Shotts’ was proving a handful for the Worksop centre half pairing of Rowland and Wilson, his tenacity winning the ‘ Dabbers’ 3rd corner on the quarter hour – Tickle, this time taking a short corner, played to the feet of Andy Taylor before tucking back to Tickle who in turn found Glyn Blackhurst squeezing between the centre halves 5 yards out only to see the ball whipped from the feet of our No.8 by a panicking defender. Worksop, in truth, were getting little change out of the resolute Nantwich who quite clearly, had brought all the positives from Tuesday’s game – and were applying them to good effect.

Worksop finally managed to string a few passes together and in the 17th minute Sanasy delivered from deep along our left flank with a square ball to bring former Crewe Alex striker Andy White into play, but the close attention of Darren Tinson and Charlie O’Loughlin put the beg fella off his stride leaving ‘Scruff’ Taylor to tidy up on the right and send Nantwich forward again. And it was no surprise when the ‘Dabbers’ edged further ahead, this time in the 22nd minute when Micky Lennon scored the first of a hat-trick in only his second start for us in the Premier Division. In the build up to the goal the ‘Dabbers’ won a free kick out on the Worksop right. Meanwhile, club captain Phil Parkinson spotted the ball up before delivering a lightning free kick into ‘Lenny’ who took advantage of a flat footed Worksop back line to tuck the ball past the stranded Fernandez from 10 yards out.

In the 35th minute - Worksop were again denied any opportunity when ‘Tinno’ headed clear from just outside the 6 yard box - the ball reaching the unmarked Liam Shotton on the left hand side of the halfway line to send the former Kidsgrove front man away for yet a further raid on the Worksop goal. Five minutes from the break and Worksop managed to produce their first meaningful efforts of note when first, centre half Rowland drove a fierce volley from distance on target to which Lee Jones reacted superbly by punching clear with his left fist, followed 3 minutes later by close range shots from Cockerill and McClements, the latter having his effort diverted for a corner. Meanwhile, the ‘Dabbers’ won two late, late corners as they pressed hard for a third goal and were it not for the presence of a defender positioned in the centre of the goalmouth, ‘Blacky’ would almost certainly have buried a firm header from 5 yards into the roof of the net.

Half time: Worksop Town 0 v NANTWICH TOWN 2

Two minutes into the second half, Charlie O’Loughlin saw off a determined run on goal from Sanasy whilst at the other end, a long throw from Glyn Blackhurst beat the defence before Hernandez just managed to punch clear at the expense of a Nantwich corner – Darren Tinson responding by hooking over from close range followed by ‘Shotts’, whose long range effort fizzed wide of the left hand post. Glyn Blackhurst’s attempt from long range in the 70th minute also fell wide of the target but 2 minutes later, a slick pass from Robin Gibson halfway inside the Worksop half found ‘Blacky’ whose quick response allowed Michael Lennon to cleverly chip the stranded Hernandez from 20 yards out to give Nantwich a 3-0 lead. A minute later, ‘Gibbo’ was denied a goal following a Liam Shotton volley that bounced back to him off the Worksop ‘keeper, interestingly, there was no reaction from Worksop to what appeared a somewhat debatable decision.
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However, in the 76th minute, the points were all but secured after ‘Lenny’ flicked on for ‘Shotts’ followed by Worksop left back Davies who hauled our young striker down in the box in a fruitless attempt to halt his progress, Lennon stepping up to the spot before blasting past Fernandez to secure a well deserved hat-trick, and our 4th goal of the afternoon.

Eight minutes from time, Dempsey shot over from 15 yards as Worksop pressed for a consolation whilst a minute into added time, Liam Shotton was a whisker away from notching his first league goal for the ’Dabbers’ since signing from Kidsgrove with a low drive toward the left hand post following good work by Andy Taylor.

Steve Davis was purring after what was in effect, a very professional performance by our players and commented:- “A thoroughly good, all round team performance – we starved Worksop of a great deal of possession and the result is well justified. The lads took all the positives from Tuesday’s defeat into this match and came out as deserved winners and if we apply that frame of mind throughout the season, who knows what we might achieve. Meanwhile, a sincere thanks to all the travelling ‘Dabbers’ who turned out to support us for the Hednesford and Worksop games. Pete and I, plus all the lads, really appreciated your attendance. The difference it makes is fantastic, believe me.”

Match report written by Phil Johnson