Nantwich Town 3
Whitby Town 2
League (NPL Premier Division)

Match Report

Date: Saturday 15th August.2009


MATCH REPORT


NANTWICH TOWN 3 v WHITBY TOWN 2
Michael Lennon. 19. 30(P) Tony Hackworth.10 (P)
Matt Rhead.68 Ryan Blott.43

NANTWICH TOWN: Jones. Flynn. Shaw. Sutton. Tinson. McPherson. Jack (Mahmoud 69). Blackhurst. Rhead. Lennon© (Gibson 81). Carter. Substitutes: Whittaker. Gibson. Mahmoud. Sedgemore. Chapman(g/k).

WHITBY TOWN: Woodhead. Close (Beadle 46). A.Gildea. Ingram. Burgess. Hansen. Hussan. Hackworth©. Blott (L.Gildea 76). Tymon (Dalton 76). Charlton. Substitutes: Beadle. L.Gildea. Dalton. Ovington.

Referee: Mr S.P Bennett.
Attendance: 543.

Whitby were first to show and in the first minute ‘Dabbers’ left back Chris Shaw produced a timely clearance after Whitby winger Karl Charlton’s left wing cross dipped menacingly toward the six yard box with strikers Ryan Blott and Mathew Tymon in dangerous positions. Meanwhile, at the other end, Whitby centre half Kevin Burgess was fortunate to intercept Matt Rhead’s cross intended for ‘Dabbers’ captain Michael Lennon stationed close to Whitby ‘keeper Thomas Woodhead’s left hand post. The opening minutes saw the game regularly switch ends and in the 5th minute ‘Seasiders’ captain Tony Hackworth tested ‘Dabbers’ ‘keeper Lee Jones with a crisp shot from the right hand edge of the area forcing Jones to stretch well to his left before securing the ball. However, in a further Nantwich move, Lennon won a corner following a massive throw-in from Glyn Blackhurst deep on the visitors left hand side whilst a minute later, Whitby took the lead via a Hackworth penalty after Nantwich right back Chris Flynn was adjudged to have handled the ball just inside the area.

On the quarter hour, Flynn produced a great ball out of defence that curled neatly towards Lennon positioned just off the edge of the 6 yard box but despite the pass reaching Lennon’s feet the pace proved to great leaving Woodhead to scoop the ball to safety. But Nantwich continued to press and were rewarded with an equalizer in the 19th minute after some great link up play between Blackhurst and Lennon that saw ‘Dabbers’ leading scorer Lennon (2008/09) take advantage after Whitby midfielder Hansen lost possession in the 6 yard box – Lennon scrambling the ball home at the left hand post despite Woodhead’s brave effort to block the effort. At this point, Whitby were struggling to maintain possession, in particular down their left hand side where Rodney Jack was producing some great runs – pushing Whitby left back Alex Gildea back toward the corner flag on occasion. However, pressure eventually told and on the half hour a Michael Lennon penalty, following Hackworth’s heavy challenge in the box on Ashley Carter, gave ‘The Dabbers’ a deserved lead.

Meanwhile, Whitby continued to plug away but a lack of quality in the North Yorkshire side handed Nantwich several advantage’s – one in particular in the 39th minute when Shaw delivered a peach of a free kick from just off the right hand edge of the Whitby area – the ball swinging neatly around the wall but agonizingly then skimming inches wide of the far post with Woodhead rooted in the middle of his goalmouth. Three minutes later, Nantwich were given opportunity to go further ahead when Whitby right back Brian Close upended Ashley Carter just as the ‘Dabbers’ wide man was about to cut the ball back from close to the bye line but Lennon failed to produce sufficient power behind his spot kick leaving Woodhead time to dive to his left and make the save. Moments later, the Nantwich age old trait of falling asleep in defence cost ’The Dabbers’ again after Whitby midfielder Ibrahim Hussan’s unchallenged right wing cross reached the unmarked Ryan Blott - the Whitby No.9 having the easiest of tasks to plant a short range downward header at the far post past a stranded Jones to level the match.

HT: NANTWICH TOWN 2 v WHITBY TOWN 2

Unfortunately the second half proved more notable for its incidents rather than actual football with each side losing a player to a straight red card. First to be dismissed was Whitby substitute Jimmy Beadle, who brought down Michael Lennon in a clumsy 50th minute challenge, little more than inches outside the area whilst in the 80th minute ‘Dabbers’ central defender Richie Sutton departed when he back heeled an opponent who was lying prostrate on the ground at the time. Additionally, there were a raft of bookings involving players from both sides yet overall the match was far from a physical contest. Meanwhile, returning to the match, and Whitby were unlucky not to snatch an early second half lead when winger Karl Charlton struck the side netting following Blott’s left wing cross whilst at the other end, Blackhurst delivered a great pass from deep on the Whitby left hand side – but despite the presence of Lennon, handily perched in the 6 yard box, the pace of the ball proved too much for the Nantwich captain. On 66 minutes, a foul on the industrious Rodney Jack allowed Chris Shaw to produce a tidy 20 yard left foot free kick that agonizingly edged over the left hand edge of post and bar but two minutes later Matt Rhead rose at the same post to plant a bullet header from a Chris Flynn corner firmly into the roof of the net to edge Nantwich in front once again. However, Nantwich gradually went off the boil and some sloppy play allowed Whitby the advantage – albeit without hurting their hosts. Twenty minutes from time Charlton wasted an opportunity from around 20 yards when in a good shooting position, before Flynn produced a super left foot free kick that was flicked on by the head of Carter toward the left side of goal only for the ball to fly off the angle of post and bar to safety whilst right on the stroke of normal time, Blackhurst had a chance to score when he met Carter’s cross but there lacked power in the shot, much to Whitby relief.

Nantwich head coach Peter Hall, in his first league game in charge of Nantwich Town said: “A typical opening day game but I’ll take the points just the same. We failed to settle for any length of time and as a result played in a stop-start mode. However, we still created chances but at the same time gave the ball away cheaply. As for Sutton’s sending off – unforgiveable in everybody’s view and he has been left in no uncertain terms as to his actions. But, they are a great bunch of players, the atmosphere in the dressing room is first class and they are all winners, so once we’ve got a few more games under our belts I’m sure we’ll flow again”.

Match report written by Phil Johnson