Nantwich Town 2
Stocksbridge Park Steels 2
League (NPL Premier Division)

Match Report

Saturday 13th March.2010

NANTWICH TOWN 2 v STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS 2
Dave Tickle.35 Adam Clayton.58
Marvin Robinson.43 Andy Ring. 90+1


NANTWICH: Chapman. Aaron Carter. Tickle. Sutton. Whittaker(c). Street (Sedgemore 62). Mahmoud (Jack 64). Blackhurst. Robinson. Lennon. Griggs (Carter 70). Substitutes: Jack. Tinson. Sedgemore. Ashley Carter. Southern.

STOCKSBRIDGE: Scott. Tonks. Hall. Claisse. Lovell. Riordan. Callery. Clayton. Ring. Stirrup. Vardy(c). Substitutes: Schofield. Daly. Dawson. Ratcliffe.


Referee: Mr Stuart England.
Attendance: 307.

Stocksbridge were out of the blocks early and had two excellent opportunities to go ahead through ANDY RING and RICHARD STIRRUP but a mixture of fortune in the Nantwich defence combined with off target finishing by the visitors kept the score level.

Meanwhile, Nantwich had yet to get into their stride but in a rare opportunity MARVIN ROBINSON weaved his way through the Stocksbridge defence to fire the ball past BEN SCOTT but an offside flag was already raised thus ruling out the goal. For Stocksbridge, RING could have done better when clean through on goal but fluffed the opportunity with only BEN CHAPMAN to beat.

GOAL: 35 Minutes. Nantwich stepped up a couple of gears during which pressure earned them a corner over on the right – Nantwich left back DAVE TICKLE taking a perfectly judged flag kick to bend the ball past the Stocksbridge defence and ‘keeper SCOTT to give the home side the lead.

GOAL: 43 Minutes. A long throw by BLACKHURST found ROBINSON who coolly finished with a deft header to give Nantwich a deserved half time lead.

HT: NANTWICH TOWN 2 v STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS 0

Within minutes of the second half getting underway ‘Dabbers’ goalkeeper CHAPMAN pulled off an excellent save when he spread himself far enough to block a JAMIE VARDY strike.

GOAL: 58 Minutes. Stocksbridge reduced the deficit with a somewhat fortunate goal by ADAM CLAYTON – a wind assisted downfield ball dropped kindly for the midfielder who struck first time to loft the ball over CHAPMAN from 25 yards out.

Stocksbridge continued to take advantage of a trailing wind and just past the hour midfielder ALEX CALLERY produced a long range punt that brought yet another good save out of CHAPMAN – meanwhile, Chapman again came to Nantwich’s rescue when in a one on one with VARDY he pulled off a brave save before being called into action again to block CALLERY’S shot from the edge of the box. Meanwhile, Nantwich’s DANNY GRIGGS weaved his way past three Stocksbridge defenders before shooting – SCOTT going down well to hold the strike from the nippy winger.

GOAL: 90 + 1. RING secured a point for Stocksbridge with a goal in added time.

FT: NANTWICH TOWN 2 v STOCKSBRIDGE PARK STEELS 2

Star Man. BEN CHAPMAN. Nantwich Town.

Match Rating. **

Nantwich retain 15th ahead of Tuesday’s visit to Frickley Athletic (16th).

Match report written by Phil Johnson