Guiseley 2
Nantwich Town 2
League (NPL Premier Division)

Match Report

Saturday 29th November.2008

Guiseley 2 vs NANTWICH TOWN 2
Adam Muller.4. Michael Lennon.7.
David Brown. 74 Dave Whittaker.45.

Guiseley: Skiba. Lloyd. Merris. Bolder (Brown 71). Ellis. Cotterill ©. Thompson (Fitzgerald 59). Burton. Denney (Hanson 71). Muller. Whitehouse. Substitutes: Hanson. Brown. Fitzgerald. Pugh. Husband.


NANTWICH TOWN: Jones. Westwood. Beeston. Tinson. Smith. Parkinson ©. Carter. Blackhurst (Jarrett 89). Whittaker (Walker 90+1). Lennon. Gibson (Griggs 74). Substitutes: Walker. Jarrett. Shotton. Naggington. Griggs.

Nantwich made two changes for their first visit to 2nd placed Guiseley – Crewe Alexandra loan signing Ashley Westwood went straight into the line up replacing Damion Jarrett in the right back position, whilst utility player Mark Beeston replaced one match suspended Dave Tickle at left back.

Fog and frost greeted Nantwich on their arrival at the Nethermoor Park Stadium whilst the pitch remained soft as the frost lifted from below the surface. Meanwhile, Guiseley were out of the traps right from the whistle - forcing Nantwich to concede a corner as early as the first minute. Three minutes later – Guiseley were celebrating an Adam Muller goal when, from a short corner taken from the Nantwich left, the ball was played back toward the 6 yard box from where Muller placed a glancing header over the heads of everybody and into the far corner of the net.

The goal apart, Nantwich had to adapt to a Guiseley side that were full of energy and pace. However, ‘The Dabbers’ quickly settled and in the 7th minute pulled level through a Micky Lennon goal. In the build up, Nantwich spread the ball out to the Guiseley left from where Lennon stole in – shook off his marker, before firing low from the edge of the area past the diving Polish ‘keeper Skiba. From then on, the game switched ends at a furious pace with both sides battling to win the first ball. For Nantwich, Ashley Carter went just wide from distance whilst moments later, Carter touched on for Lennon wide on the Guiseley right hand side with Lennon a shade unfortunate not to trap the ball and shoot past Skiba. As the half moved toward the 20 minute mark Ashley Westwood began to demonstrate what a prospect he is with some fine footwork that led to several deep crosses from the Crewe Alex 18 year old beating the Guiseley defence but agonizingly narrowly avoiding Blackhurst, Whittaker and Lennon, all stationed in the 6 yard box at various times.

Seven minutes before the break, Guiseley launched an attack that led to Lee Jones fisting a Mark Thompson free kick clear from under his bar whilst at the other end; Westwood was very unfortunate to see his well struck shot from an angle beat Skiba before the ball flew off the right hand angle of post and bar. However, Nantwich pressure paid a dividend right on the stroke of half time when Lennon’s cross from deep on the Guiseley right hand side zipped across the box leaving defence and goal keeper flat footed and the unmarked Dave Whittaker to roll the ball into an empty net from 8 yards to send Nantwich in at the break holding a 2 – 1 lead.

After the break, it was Nantwich who were out of the blocks early, taking the game to Guiseley during which, they pinned the home side back in their own territory for a while. And it was the impact of loan signing Ashley Westwood who Guiseley most feared, his crosses from deep on the Guiseley left terrorising the defence although the most dangerous of all came through a Westwood free kick that Skiba just managed to palm away after Glyn Blackhurst got a head to it in the 49th minute whilst on the hour the Crewe Alex youngster went close himself with a well placed header that unfortunately fell inches wide of the left hand post. In the 66th minute Ashley Carter raced clear down the Guiseley left before drifting into the area and squaring to Blackhurst before Skiba held Blackhurst’s shot on the turn from close range.

With Nantwich in the ascendancy Guiseley decided to make two changes in the 71st minute and within the space of three minutes the effect was to change the flow of the game leading to the home side levelling through substitute David Brown. In the build up, Guiseley broke from midfield before taking play out to the Nantwich right and just at the moment when their defence was caught out of position Brown found enough space to drill the ball into an unguarded net from close range. Having been the most impressive side up to that point Nantwich were gutted to concede in such a manner however, heads remained high and they set about the task of restoring the lead. On 77 minutes Dave Whittaker went close with a short range header and a couple of minutes later clipped a shot wide of the right hand post from an Ashley Carter cross. The pace of the game had been furious right from the first whistle and even in the latter stages there was no let up in the frenzy. On 81 minutes, Ashley Westwood’s cross from the Guiseley left was met by substitute Danny Griggs on the opposite flank, Griggs angled shot saved by Skiba whilst two minutes later play was suspended for a midfield incident during which Nantwich midfielder Glyn Blackhurst fell heavily, hurting his left ankle in the process, from which Blackhurst had to be stretchered off. Meanwhile, Damion Jarrett came on at right back whilst Westwood moved into midfield. Four minutes of added time were allowed and in a dramatic third minute of that period Ashley Carter, with ball at feet, entered the area only to find himself shoulder charged by two defenders and despite crashing to earth in the 6 yard box referee Andy Smith controversially waved appeals away. Seconds later, the final whistle brought to an end one of the most pulsating matches Nantwich have been involved in so far this season and one for which they quite correctly, feel they suffered an injustice.

Nantwich head coach Steve Davis commented: “Gutted. For the majority of the game we were the better side and the denial of a blatant penalty at the end has soured the result. It took us a while at the start to adjust to the pace of the game but when we did, we played some good stuff on a very soft surface during which we consistently created opportunities. Guiseley are a very competitive outfit, they have lots of pace throughout the side but we more than matched them and have proved we need fear no one at this level. I was impressed with Ashley (Westwood). It took him a while to adjust to the pace of the game but credit to the lad, he used his skills to good effect and the lads have taken to him straight away”.

Ashley Westwood, commenting on his debut for Nantwich said: - “The pace of the game took me by surprise at first but I have enjoyed the experience. Steve has left it to me as to whether I train with Nantwich or not but I’m keen to do well and will be joining in with the lads. Nantwich have a home game on Saturday so I’m looking forward to playing at the Weaver Stadium”.

Nantwich Town Man of the Match (voted by Guiseley officials). Ashley Westwood.

Photo: Guiseley keeper Petr Skibi saves from Glynn Blackhurst

Match report written by Phil Johnson