Nantwich Town 3
FC United of Manchester 0
League (NPL Premier Division)

Match Report

Saturday 7th February.2009


NANTWICH TOWN 3 vs FC UNITED of Manchester 0
Michael Lennon. 13(P).86.
Ashley Carter.60.

Nantwich Town: Jones. Jarrett (Hawthorne 78). Tickle. Smith. O’Loughlin. Blackhurst. Carter. Macpherson. Whittaker. Lennon ©. Griggs (Jack 90). Substitutes: Francis. Hawthorne. Jack. Southern. Mahmoud. Cautions: O’Loughlin (47) Griggs (73) Lennon (90).

FC United: Ashton. Warrender. Garner. Moses. Tong. Nugent ©. A.Carden. S.Carden (Williams 68). Turner (Baguley 68). Wright. Whitman (Chadwick 68). Substitutes: Chappell. Williams. Baguley. Dieyte. Chadwick.
Cautions: Tong (12) Warrender (42) A.Carden (90)

Referee: Mr J.A Sheffield (Birmingham) Attendance. 1,547.


MATCH REPORT

Nantwich officials and several volunteers worked throughout the week to prevent a build up of snow and ice at the Weaver Stadium that otherwise may well have prevented Saturday’s clash between 4th in the table Nantwich Town and 5th placed FC United of Manchester, from going ahead. But on a day that saw a majority of the English football programme wiped out the FA’s Regional Development Manager Steve Swallow’s 9.30am inspection was positive enough to provide a sigh of relief from an anxious Nantwich Town who were not only rewarded with a bumper attendance, but maximum points in the bargain to send ‘The Dabbers’ back up to 3rd and right in the thick of the play-off positions again.

Meanwhile, injury and suspensions left head coach Steve Davis juggling with a squad shorn of midfield skipper Phil Parkinson and defender Darren Tinson (injuries) whilst Dave Walker, Mark Beeston and Robin Gibson added to ‘The Dabbers’ problems by having to sit out the match due to suspension whilst FC United were without leading scorer Kyle Wilson, winger Carlos Roca and defender Dave Neville, for similar reasons.

Lengthy queue’s at the turnstiles meant a delayed kick off but when proceedings finally got underway it was the visitors who were first to show with a 2nd minute angled strike from Jerome Wright fizzing over the right hand angle of post and bar. Nantwich responded quickly with Glyn Blackhurst bursting forward down the ‘United’ left before unleashing a shot that narrowly avoided the left hand side of Sam Ashton’s goal. Nantwich continued to press and when Danny Griggs cut in from the visitors left he found time and space to deliver a warning with a right foot shot that flew across the bows of the visiting ‘keeper to finish inches wide of the far post. At the other end, central defender Richard Smith’s awareness allowed the long serving central defender to produce a couple of timely clearances at a point when FC United began to look a shade menacing. But in the 12th minute, controversy reigned when ‘United’s’ central defender Adam Tong deliberately handled Glyn Blackhurst’s goal bound shot on the line. Controversially, Tong remained on the pitch after receiving a mere cautionary yellow card whilst Michael Lennon clinically dispatched the resultant penalty for his 21st goal of the season.

Nantwich right back Damion Jarrett’s half volley on the quarter hour proved an easy take for Ashton but the visiting ‘keeper might have found his task a shade harder had Danny Griggs free kick from deep on the FC United left been an inch or two closer to goal. At the other end, ‘United’ winger Tristram Whitman’s curling in swinger drifted wide of the right hand post whilst midfielder Adam Carden went considerably closer with an angled shot from deep on the ‘Dabbers’ left. The visitors continued to enjoy a spell of pressure, earning a couple of corners in the process, but despite Wright latching on to a clearance his finish left a lot to be desired. Meanwhile, the closely contested match edged toward the half hour mark and when Tong found Lennon bearing down upon him on the left hand edge of the ‘United’ area his response was to produce a reckless tackle that lifted the Nantwich striker off the floor. Despite Nantwich protests, Tong, on this occasion, escaped without a caution, leaving even the ‘United’ faithful to scratch their heads in disbelief.

But despite trailing at the break, FC United’s crisp interchanges had been the more impressive of the two teams. However, the absence of goal poacher Wilson was apparent and whilst there was no lack of effort from his fellow forwards, their profligacy in front of goal proved to be a major weakness.

The second half was played in similar pattern to the first period except that Nantwich wore a by far, sharper look. On 51 minutes, back to back corners left FC United stretched in defence and from the second, a defenders boot was the only thing that stood between Dave Whittaker’s powerful short range effort and the ball heading into the net. Three minutes later, and Nantwich right back Damion Jarrett delivered a masterful cross field ball from deep in his own half into the path of the unmarked Michael Lennon – Lennon meanwhile set off on a mazy run before ‘United’ right back Danny Warrender found just enough pace to force Lennon to the bye line, albeit at the expense of a corner during Lennon’s attempt to cut the ball back inside. From the corner, Charlie O’Loughlin clipped the ball over a crowded 6 yard box before a ‘United’ head sent it clear but only into the path of Lennon, who responded with a powerful ground shot into the area which, had it not been for the embattled Tong, the ball would have crept through giving Ashton little time to respond.

But on the hour, Ashton could do nothing to prevent Ashley Carter scoring one of his finest goals of his Nantwich career. The build up to the goal ironically had begun in defence from where Dave Whittaker had dropped back from his forward position to assist during a moment of pressure from the visitors. Whittaker meanwhile, picked out Dave MacPherson stationed half way inside his own half, the recent midfield signing working the ball over the half way line to unleash an incisive pass straight down the middle into the path of Carter who, despite pressure from the central defensive partnership of Tunji Moses and Tong, held them at bay long enough to produce a clinical finish from 12 yards and leave Ashton stranded in the bargain. The resilience of FC United was now clearly being put to the test, but despite falling further behind, the visitors continued to place ‘The Dabbers’ under pressure. However, Nantwich were in no mood to allow ‘United’ back in and on 68 minutes FC’s manager Karl Margison clearly had seen enough to make him decide to throw on all three substitutes in an effort to claw back the deficit. But it was to no avail. Four minutes from normal time, an unselfish pass, but a decisive one at that, from midfield general Glyn Blackhurst, across the bows of the committed Ashton into the path of Lennon, proved sufficient to sew up the match and allow Lennon to go on and score his 22nd goal of the season.

Head coach Steve Davis commented: - “I thought they (FC United) were the better side in the first half. They passed the ball around better than us but in front of goal they were mostly wasteful which left our goal keeper (Lee Jones) having a quiet afternoon. Unfortunately, we were carrying two or three players in the first half, and during the break I had a go at them. To be fair, the players responded and were more competitive. Naturally, with having five regulars out on the day, that was a cause for concern at the start but credit to the lads, they proved their worth. It’s not often I question decisions but the referee’s handling of the Tong situation proved embarrassing to say the least. Even FC’s officials conceded he should have been dismissed”.

Rodney Densen Wines ‘Man of the Match’. Dave Macpherson (Nantwich Town).

Match report written by Phil Johnson