Nantwich Town 2
Witton Albion 0
League (NPL Premier Division)

Match Report

Tuesday 21st October.2008.

NANTWICH TOWN 2 v WITTON ALBION 0
Dave Walker.8.
Alan Naggington.86.

NANTWICH TOWN: Jones. Smith. Tickle. Tinson. O’Loughlin. Parkinson. Carter. Beeston. Walker. Lennon. Griggs. Substitutes: Naggington. Whittaker. Shotton. Jarrett. Mamood.

WITTON ALBION:Smith. Donnelly. Scott. Pritchard ©. Burke.(Dunne 60) Owen.(Warwick 60). B.Thornley. Drewe Thompson. R.Thornley. Wiggins-Thomas (Thaker 80). Substitutes: Smith. Thaker. Warwick. Linford. Dunne.

Referee: Mr R.Jones. Attendance: 612


MATCH REPORT
Following recent victories in the FA Cup and FA Trophy plus a league victory over Ashton United just over a week ago, Nantwich were hoping to build further by winning against Witton Albion to imrove their league position whilst at the same time give them extra confidence ahead of this coming weekends FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round tie away to Blue Square North outfit Fleetwood Town. Meanwhile, the anticipated appearance of former Crewe Alexandra forward Rodney Jack failed to materialise after the player telephoned Nantwich head coach Steve Davis to report lengthy delays in travelling from his Birmingham home whilst ever present ‘Dabbers’ midfielder Glyn Blackhurst reported sick.

The match itself started in dramatic fashion. Within seconds of the kick off Nantwich winger Danny Griggs picked out midfield captain Phil Parkinson with a slide rule pass from which Parkinson struck first time to beat Witton custodian Greg Smith. However, the celebrations were quickly extinguished by an assistant referees flag who adjudged Parkinson to have been offside when receiving the pass from Griggs. Meanwhile, Michael Lennon went very close to opening the score for the home side when he collected Ashley Carter’s pass inside the area before shooting inches over the right angle of post and bar. The match was barely five minutes old and Nantwich were looking menacing – the possession was such that Witton hardly touched the ball and it looked only a matter of time before the first goal arrived. And it duly arrived in the 8th minute courtesy of Dave Walker. Michael Lennon teased his marker before laying the ball into the path of walker stationed out on the Witton left and struck a powerful shot from an angle that flew across the body of Smith into the bottom far corner of the net.

But, a couple of minutes later the visitors had a great chance to level through striker Rod Thornley. Seizing on to a left wing centre Thornley applied a side footed shot from 10 yards but the rising effort failed to come down and ended up floating over the bar. At the other end, Walker narrowly missed getting on to the end of a neat pass from Griggs before Smith smothered the ball whilst for Witton, midfielder Mark Drew worked space before getting in with a shot from just outside the box but again the rising shot failed to trouble Nantwich ‘keeper Lee Jones. After that, it was virtually all Nantwich for the remainder of the half. A five man move in the 17th minute looked promising but there were groans of disappointment after Lennon picked his spot to fire at goal from deep on the Witton left but despite beating Smith, the shot cannoned back off the cross bar. Witton had an opportunity in the 25th minute when midfielder Val Owen clipped a shot from 12 yards toward the target but a lack of power left Jones with an easy save. Two minutes later and Griggs fluffed a gilt edged chance to score after he struck from close range, beating Smith in the process - but placed the shot a yard wide. Griggs was then provider of a great opportunity for both Lennon and Walker but inexplicably the pass went straight across the front of both of them perched inside the 6 yard box - the loose ball travelling over the bye line for a goal kick. At this point Witton were hardly in the game, such was the dominance of Nantwich it was amazing that there was only one goal in it as the match moved toward half time. Yet another promising move by the home side arrived when centre half Darren tinson played a clinical long pass in to the path of Griggs who responded by striking a first time volley that had Smith diving full length to bring the shot down on his line. By now, Nantwich were in command and within a couple of minutes of the break the home side turned the Witton defence inside out leaving winger Ashley Carter the easy task of firing into an open goal – instead, he spooned his shot that ended embarrassingly –very wide of the target.

The second half more or less followed the pattern of the first with Nantwich holding so much possession that at times the visitors were mere onlookers. Walker’s 54th minute bullet strike was amazingly turned away for a corner by the overworked Smith whilst his opposite number Jones was almost redundant. Nantwich man of the match Tinson played a great ball for Lennon whose finish from deep on the Witton right dipped a yard wide of the far post. A Nantwich free kick that came on the hour was brilliantly struck by Griggs – the shot beating Smith all ends up but struck the right hand angle of post and bar. But two minutes later ,the almost redundant Jones was called into action when he excelled by saving a fiercely driven free kick from Drew 20 yards out. Meanwhile, at the other end, Griggs had yet another opportunity to get on the score sheet but frustratingly delayed on his shot with almost open goal yawning in front of him and lost possession the process. In the latter stages of the match Walker and Lennon were replaced by Naggington and Whittaker and the pressure on the visitors continuing apace. But, more frustration for Nantwich, this time as several promising moves broke down courtesy of the offside flag. Five minutes before normal time Parkinson set up Naggington with a neat pass just outside the area but just as Naggingtonturned to thread the ball between the Witton centre halves he lost his footing with yet another opportunity going begging. However, Naggington was not to be outdone. In the 86th minute he took advantage of some wayward Witton defending to stroke Parkinson’s initial pass calmly into an unguarded net. Four minutes of added time were signalled and in the final minute it was Griggs who went close again and in the process forced smith to concede what turned out to be almost the last action in a game in which Nantwich had almost completely dominated – but without scoring the goals to match.

Nantwich head coach Steve Davis commented: “No question, we were the masters tonight but oh, how we cried out for finishing touches to the majority of what we created. It is no exaggeration to say we could have gone in at half time with a four goal lead. In the second half there could have been another three in addition to the two we scored. That, I have to say is the only criticism I can level because otherwise, it was another complete team effort by the lads which sees us four matches undefeated going into this weekend’s FA Cup tie.”

Match report written by Phil Johnson