Nantwich Town 0
Guiseley 2
League (NPL Premier Division)

Match Report

Saturday 4th April.2009. Kick off 3.00pm


NANTWICH TOWN 0 v GUISELEY 2
James Hanson. 10
James Walshaw.48
Nantwich: Jones. Smith (Beeston 41). Tickle. Tinson. O’Loughlin. Parkinson©. Carter. MacPherson. Whittaker (Kinsey 65). Lennon. Griggs (Gibson 65). Substitutes: Gibson. Hawthorne. Beeston. Kinsey. Jack.

Referee: Mr M.E Weaver. Attendance: 672.


MATCH REPORT

A goal in each half without reply condemned Nantwich to their first home defeat since the 1-0 loss to Cammell Laird on New Year’s Day. On this day ‘The Dabbers’ looked a shadow of the side that have consistently held a top five placing in the UniBond Premier Division since early February and with just six remaining games need to get back on track quickly beginning starting with the visit of promotion chasing Hednesford Town on Tuesday night.

Guiseley were on the front foot from the start with ‘The Lions’ James Hanson and James Walshaw in particular causing Nantwich problems all afternoon. However, Nantwich missed a great chance to take an early lead when Danny Griggs floated a ball into the 6 yard box from which Dave Whittaker delivered a powerful close range header – the ball deflecting of the body of goalkeeper Piotr Skiba before being scrambled to safety. But it was the visitors who nosed in front after Nantwich failed to clear the ball during a 10th minute goalmouth scramble-Guiseley winger Hanson driving the ball into the roof of the net from three yards out.

Hanson’s penetration along the Nantwich right hand side persistently allowed the tall winger to send in crosses from deep and during one particular assault Guiseley centre half Dave Merris wasn’t far off target with a powerful header whilst striker James Walshaw was then a whisker away from getting on to the end of left back Gerome Fitzgerald’s looping centre that dropped invitingly inside the 6 yard box before the alert Lee Jones gathered in the nick of time.

The longer the half progressed –the more ‘The Dabbers’ struggled, hardly putting two passed together, the result being easy pickings for Guiseley who faced a home side who were consistently in retreat. However, on the half hour Nantwich put together a move that saw Michael Lennon place a close range header from an in swinging corner inches over the angle of post and bar- seven minutes from the break Dave Macpherson’s close range effort glanced off a defender to win a corner but five minutes from the break play was halted when ‘Dabbers’ right back Richard Smith sustained injury (medial ligaments) and was replaced by Mark Beeston.

The second half continued in similar vein to the first period with Nantwich looking decidedly out of sorts. Meanwhile, the lively Walshaw continued to cause the home side problems, particularly down the left hand side and within two minutes of the second half getting underway went close with a ground shot that fortunately deflected to safety from inside a crowded area but there was no denying the same player in the 48th minute when Walshaw was gifted time and space to shoot from an angle under the diving Jones who on this occasion appeared somewhat late with his reaction.

On 63 minutes Jones was again called into action and did well to punch clear from a Simeon Bambrook shot-again coming from the under pressure Nantwich left hand side. On 65 minutes Nantwich made a double substitution with the introduction of Robin Gibson and Andy Kinsey – Kinsey immediately in the thick of things and went close to reducing the deficit but his close range header was a shade too near to Skiba whilst on 73 minutes Kinsey was desperately unlucky not to defeat Skiba with a shot that dipped toward the foot of the left hand post leaving the Guiseley custodian to fling himself across his line and finger tip the shot away to safety. In the 83rd minute MacPherson delivered a perfect ball from the Guiseley left into the path of the overlapping Lennon but despite a first time connection and the ball beating both defence and ‘keeper Lennon’s shot fizzed a couple of yards wide of the far post.

But these were rare moments in a game in which Guiseley were hardly stretched throughout the afternoon and four minutes from normal time visiting left back Fitzgerald fluffed a golden opportunity to add a 3rd with a shot from an unmarked position deep on the Nantwich right hand side-the ball finishing high over the crossbar. However, Nantwich were not quite done with matters and it Kinsey who again went close to reducing the deficit when his powerful 22 yard free kick bent over the wall before cannoning off the crossbar whilst seconds later referee Weaver brought proceedings to a close.

A very disappointed Steve Davis commented: - “All eleven of our starting line up were poor. We rarely got the ball down and struggled to make a decent pass all afternoon. The consequence of this was to let Guiseley largely dictate the game. In fairness they were the better side and deserve the points. Tuesday at home to Hednesford is now a massive game for us but I am confident we can get over this blip and remain in the promotion frame”.

Note: With 6 remaining games (4 at home) Nantwich require a maximum of 12 points to secure a play off semi final placing.

Match report written by Phil Johnson