Warrington Town 1
Nantwich Town 0
FA Cup (1st Round Qualifying)

Match Report

CUP HOPES GO TO THE WIRE

FA Cup 1st Round Qualifying – 12 September 2009
Warrington Town 1 Nantwich Town 0
McCarthy 4

Nantwich’s cup dreams were left in tatters after they crashed out of the cup with a lacklustre display in this Cheshire derby. A fluke goal early in the tie proved enough for the Wires as ten men Nantwich failed to find their stride.
On a warm sunny afternoon, the all important goal came when Chris Gaghan cut inside past Chris Flynn and fired goalbound. The shot cruelly bobbled up off the uneven surface into the face of Nantwich ‘keeper Lee Jones enabling the alert Jimmy McCarthy to stab home the rebound from close range. The concussed Jones continued but had to be replaced at half-time by youngster Ben Chapman.
Ashley Carter’s shot from the edge of the box bounced past the upright as the Dabbers struggled to get a foothold on the game. But it was the hosts who came closest to scoring with the tricky McCarthy clipping the ball over from outside the area and then with early substitute Richard Checuti pulling a shot wide.
McCarthy fired over with a shot on the turn and then forced Jones into a low save at the foot of his right post. Mike Grogan could have made it 2-0 on 35 minutes but his header skimmed wide and Gaghan should have capitalised on a slip up by Dave Whittaker but he crashed his shot off target.
The Dabbers failed to make an impact during the first half but one neat move saw Matt Rhead head into the path of Rodney Jack whose cross was volleyed over by Michael Lennon.
Straight after the break, Glyn Blackhurst was unlucky to see his shot booted off the line. On 67 minutes, the midfielder was again thwarted when he beat keeper Richie Mottram to the ball but his shot from a wide angle hit the inside of the post and spun across the goal and out for a goalkick.
Two minutes later, Nantwich’s hopes were further dashed when Dave MacPherson was shown a straight red card for an agricultural challenge on Karl Connelly just outside the area. McCarthy blasted the free kick past the upright.
With ten men, the Dabbers failed to exert any pressure on the UniBond First Division North side or carve out any clear chances. One did come from Blackhurst’s trademark long throw as the game moved into stoppage time but Mottram got down to save Ritchie Sutton low drive from the edge of the box.
But a late equaliser would have been harsh on Warrington who deserved their passage through to the next round.

Warrington: Mottram, Grogan, Dutton, Hardwick, Tomlinson, Taylor, Hadland, O’Donnell, Connelly, McCarthy, Gaghan. Subs: Chetcuti (for Dutton, 9mins), Smearton (for Connelly, 75), Kinsey (for McCarthy, 89), Bowes, Smith.
Nantwich: Jones, Sutton, Flynn, Tinson, Whittaker, Blackhurst, Jack, MacPherson, Ashley Carter, Lennon, Mahmoud. Subs: Tice, Rhead (for Mahmoud, 30), Gibson, Tickle, Southern (for Whittaker, 70), Aaron Carter, Chapman (for Jones, h-t).
Attendance: 204

Match report written by Michael Chatwin