North Ferriby United 1
Nantwich Town 1
League (NPL Premier Division)

Match Report

Saturday 18th April.2009


NORTH FERRIBY UNITED 1 v NANTWICH TOWN 1
Russell Fry.86 Ashley Carter.29


North Ferriby: Wilson. Cooke. Larvin. Denton. Foster. Morley©. Jackson (Moore 35). Fry. Russell. Bradshaw. Hunter (Frizzell 70). Substitutes: Bloor. Frizzell. Moore. Wilberforce g/k.

Nantwich: Jones. Hawthorne. Beeston. Tinson. O’Loughlin. Parkinson© (Macpherson 52). Carter. Blackhurst. Whittaker. Lennon (Walker 89). Griggs. Substitutes: MacPherson. Jack. Walker. Kinsey. Southern.

Referee: Mr S.D Rowntree.
Attendance: 187.

MATCH REPORT

A host of missed chances, a sending off and poor defending in the latter part of the second half contrived to leave promotion seeking Nantwich conceding two precious points on Humberside at the weekend. Victory was snatched from their grasp 4 minutes from normal time when Ferriby midfielder Russell Fry took advantage of a static defence to tuck the ball beyond Lee Jones but there were other moments too in the second half when better finishing from the North Ferriby forwards could well have inflicted further damage. The result, including results elsewhere in the division, drops Nantwich from 5th to 7th whilst maximum points would have elevated them back to 3rd ahead of Tuesday night’s home game against Boston United.

Nantwich began well and proceeded to dominate the opening 20 minutes with Ashley Carter going close as early as the first minute with a dipping shot from outside the area that fizzed close to the right hand post from a Glyn Blackhurst pass. A minute later good work between Michael Lennon and Carter provided ‘The Dabbers’ with sufficient momentum to win four corners in the space of two minutes whilst a Danny Griggs free kick from outside the area bent neatly on the wind before dipping over the right angle of post and bar. Meanwhile, the hosts gradually eased their way into the game with Ferriby left back Kevin Larvin the outlet for forward balls into the path of winger Colin Hunter – but whilst Nantwich had little trouble in countering those moves they systematically failed to take advantage of the yawning space vacated by Larvin who was often marooned in the Nantwich half.

On 27 minutes, Lennon was a whisker away from latching on to the end of a mammoth throw-in from Blackhurst but just as he turned on the edge of the 6 yard box the ball skimmed off the hard surface into the path of a defender who proceeded to slice the ball across the front of his own goalkeeper at the expense of a corner. However, in the 29th minute a ‘Rory Delap’ style throw in from Blackhurst did the trick when he launched the ball from just over halfway along the North Ferriby left into the 6 yard box and in a split second Ashley Carter seized his chance to drive a low shot through a sea of legs beyond the unsighted Steve Wilson to give Nantwich a deserved lead. Meanwhile, at the other end, Jones saved well from Russell Fry after the midfielder placed a shot from outside the area whilst Ferriby centre half Sam Denton was cautioned after he went in late on Jones following his save from Hunters free kick. A minute before the break, Nantwich won their sixth corner of the half from which ‘Dabbers’ central defender Charlie O’Loughlin used his height to rise in a crowded area and head a Griggs flag kick narrowly over the bar.

HT: North Ferriby United 0 v NANTWICH TOWN 1


Sadly, Nantwich failed to match their first half endeavours - and paid the price as a result. Meanwhile, ‘Dabbers’ captain Phil Parkinson was lost to injury in the 52nd minute, Dave Macpherson replacing him in midfield whilst two minutes later another one of those special throw-ins from Glyn Blackhurst fell to central defender Darren Tinson hovering close to the right hand post – Tinson responding with a bullet header that agonizingly rebounded off the right post before clearance down the Nantwich right hand side. At the other end, Hunter went close with a short range header after nippy North Ferriby forward Gary Bradshaw had secured a corner and from the goal kick Nantwich swept up field and were it not for Wilson twice reacting on his line in succession either Lennon or Blackhurst could have scored. However, that was almost the last occasion in the second period when Nantwich threatened and as the game wore on their play became somewhat disjointed. To compound matters, Nantwich were reduced to ten men in the 67th minute when defender Mark Beeston was shown a straight red card for a rash tackle from behind resulting in midfielder Dave Macpherson moving to left back.

Sensing they could take something from the game the home side stepped up a couple of gears, the result of which was to place Nantwich on the back foot and whether it was nerves or not that crept in, their play became ragged, which served only to play into North Ferriby’s hands. Four minutes from normal time the home side levelled through Fry, who seized on a Bradshaw centre delivered from the Nantwich right and despite the defence appearing to have time to shut down the short run of Fry, no one appeared to accept responsibility, the result of which was to cost Nantwich points, that at this late stage of the season, can ill afford to lose.

An extremely disappointed Steve Davis observed: “I lost count the number of times we repeated the same errors. From largely dominating the first half, in which chances were crying out for a clinical finish, we then not only lose our shape, our competitiveness, but finally our discipline, the result of which shows in the result. So, on Tuesday (home to Boston United), they know what is expected of them and with the right attitude, are more than capable of getting right back in the promotion stakes”.

Match report written by Phil Johnson