Nantwich Town 1
Bradford (Park Avenue) 0
League (NPL Premier Division)

Match Report

Saturday 6th December.2008

NANTWICH TOWN 1 vs BRADFORD PARK AVENUE 0
Dave Walker. 90 + 2.

Nantwich. Jones. Westwood. Tickle. Tinson. Smith. Parkinson ©. Carter. Beeston (Griggs 62). Whittaker (Shotton 82). Lennon (Walker 71). Gibson. Substitutes: Walker. Griggs. Shotton. Jarrett. Jack.

Bradford. Worsnop. Hockenhull. Stratford. Bushel. Haran ©. Salm. Gibson (Holden 46). Claisse. Hall. Bet (Wiggins-Thomas 65). Stammer (Patterson 53). Substitutes: Patterson. Wiggins -Thomas. Morgan. Holden. Hotte.

Referee. Mr. E.M Smart. Attendance. 603.

Nantwich began in positive mood with Michael Lennon and Ashley Carter linking over on the Bradford left in the first minute with Carter unlucky not to get a strike on the ball from close to the bye line ahead of goal keeper Worsnop’s dive to cut out the danger. Moments later, Nantwich left back Dave Tickle delivered a long ball out of defence intended for Lennon but Worsnop came well off his line to clear the ball just inside the area before Lennon reach it. Nantwich continued to press and Carter’s 3rd minute header from an angle was on target but again Worsnop covered well to deny the young winger whilst Ashley Westwoods 4th minute well taken free kick from deep on the Bradford right dipped toward the far post before whistling beyond unmarked Nantwich skipper Phil Parkinson. ‘Dabbers’ central defensive pillar Darren Tinson seized an opportunity in the 6th minute to clip the ball from just inside his own half toward Dave Whittaker who was hovering unmarked around 12 yards out but whilst the simple move looked promising the ball dropped a shade too far ahead of Whittaker for him to gain any purchase.

Whilst Bradford ‘keeper Worsnop was being kept busy his opposite number Lee Jones was hardly getting a touch of the ball and in the 9th minute Worsnop again denied Lennon and was forced to repeat same on 13 minutes after Robin Gibson and Lennon traded passes outside the area before the ‘Dabbers’ striker placed a shot on target that Worsnop did well to hold. On the quarter hour a Dave Tickle free kick halfway inside the Bradford half found Carter but despite the Nantwich winger hitting a powerful shot, it fell wide of the target. Three minutes later Carter tested Worsnop with a shot from deep over on the Bradford right but again, the competent Worsnop held the marauding Nantwich at bay, this time by diving on the ball at his near post to produce the save.

Meanwhile, Bradford’s first effort of note came in the 21st minute after winger Roy Stammer foraged halfway along the Nantwich right hand side before placing a low shot across the bows of Jones and drifting wide. A minute later a Dave Tickle free kick over on the Bradford right deflected off a defender to gain Nantwich their opening corner and after Westwood played it short to Carter the on loan Crewe defender then followed up by collecting from Carter and driving a powerful shot forcing Worsnop to dive at the foot of the near post to keep the shot out. Just ahead of the half hour Gibson’s tenacity won Nantwich their second corner but despite Tickle’s well struck flag kick finding it’s way through a crowded area, and Worsnop spilling the ball, Nantwich still hadn’t made a break through. Mark Beeston was next up to try and break the deadlock but despite some good build up work that involved Gibson and Lennon Beeston’s final ball fell wide of the target whilst moments later, it was Beeston’s intervention deep in his own half that halted the run of Bradford winger Luke Gibson, albeit at the expense of a Bradford corner whilst moments later, the same Bradford player was in action when he delivered a centre from the Nantwich left but from which the almost redundant Jones read well enough to collect and halt any follow up from a Bradford player. Moans from the large gathering of ‘Dabbers’ supporters came just ahead of the break when Lennon broke free from halfway inside the opposition half and with only Worsnop to beat shot straight at the Bradford custodian despite Worsnop being 10 yards off his line.Then,in almost the last kick of the half Tickle shot from outside the area, the ball cannoning off a Bradford defender for a corner whilst seconds later, referee Smart blew up leaving Nantwich wondering quite how they weren’t enjoying the half time break holding at least a two goal advantage.

Whatever was said in the opposition dressing room at half time certainly had an effect because Bradford, right from the second half whistle, looked a different side. Bradford striker Chris Hall was only just off target with a crisp shot from just outside the area whilst fellow striker Mark Bett was unfortunate to see his well struck shot from the Nantwich right deflect off the foot of the far post to safety. At the other end, Carter’s looping shot was firmly held by Worsnop at his left hand post before Gibson agonizingly placed a close range header inches wide of the opposite post and Tickle’s free kick from deep along the Bradford left was held at the far post by Worsnop. But, despite that purple patch by Nantwich, it was Bradford that gradually began to take hold again leaving the home side to chase shadows at times. Rory Patterson replaced Stammer in the 53rd minute and made an immediate impact, allowing the Bradford attack to probe five yards deeper into the Nantwich half. However, despite the resurgent efforts of Bradford they still hadn’t manage to hurt the home side and it was Nantwich who yet again went close to breaking the deadlock when Dave Whittaker placed a close range header toward the target only to witness the ball creep inches over the bar with Worsnop beaten. At the other end, Tickle was called upon to concede a corner as the result of some last ditch defending from which Bradford midfielder Andrew Salm placed a header over the bar and then Jones excelling when he held from Patterson a mere 5 yards out. With a quarter of an hour remaining, Hall tested Jones from close range at a time when Bradford were running the show. Five minutes from normal time, Bradford won back to back corners, neither of which caused any flutters in the home defence. However, just as the game looked to be heading for a scoreless draw Nantwich pressed Bradford back in defence that saw Walker go close with a header from a Danny Griggs corner, centre’s from Westwood and Griggs were turned away from both posts respectively before Walker produced the break through in the second minute of added time after Westwood’s centre from deep on the Bradford left curled behind the defence across the front of Worsnop and despite being closely marked at the far post, Walker was able to get sufficient purchase on it to force the ball into the bottom corner of the net and send a roar of approval up from amongst the majority of the 603 supporters, who almost certainly had given up on seeing a Nantwich goal. The only downside to the Walker goal was that he was cautioned by referee Smart for celebrating his goal and now faces a one match ban for an accumulation of five bookings.

Steve Davis commented:- “ We started well and created numerous chances, but again were lacking in applying a clinical finish to the better one’s. Having gone in at the break without conceding, Bradford came out and decided to give it a real go and on occasion tested us. Overall, they were the better side in the second half but despite being second best at times we didn’t lie down and credit to Dave Walker, you can’t get any closer than that to killing off a game”.

Match report written by Phil Johnson