Nantwich Town 1
Worksop Town 2
League (NPL Premier Division)

Match Report

EVO-STIK FOOTBALL LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION
Saturday 21st August.2010
NANTWICH TOWN 1 v WORKSOP TOWN 2
Chris Flynn.5 Ryan Mellon.23
Peter Knox.63
Nantwich: Chapman. McAnulty. Tickle (Blake 43). Adams. Tinson. Sedgemore (c). Carter (Jack 79). Carr. Robinson (Whittaker 73). Lennon. Flynn. Substitutes: Blake. Whittaker. Aspinwall. Jack. Parkes.
Worksop: Kennedy. Colliver. Wood. Camm. Shiels. Simpkins (c). Bettney (Simpson 75). Jackson (Whittington 81). Knox. Bacon. Mallon. Substitutes: Whittington. Simpson. Wharton. Trench. Austin.
Referee: Mr J.A Sheffield.
Attendance: 455

Nantwich went ahead in the 5th minute following a corner on the Worksop left – DAVE TICKLE’S out swinging flag kick falling to CHRIS FLYNN whose flicked header rose above the visitor’s defensive wall and goalkeeper JON KENNEDY into the far top corner of the net.
A minute later, with back to goal, MARVIN ROBINSON cut the ball back into the path of JAKE SEDGEMORE but despite the ‘Dabbers’ captain producing a powerful shot from just outside the box his effort fell wide of the left hand post.
Nantwich continued with their bright start and in the 8th minute MICHAEL LENNON’S tenacity secured a corner from which DARREN TINSON rose to place a free header just off target.
Worksop’s first response came in the 11th minute when JAMES COLLIVER’S uninterrupted run down the Nantwich left allowed the ‘Tigers’ right back to send in a powerful shot to the near post from which BEN CHAPMAN confidently held. However, CHAPMAN’S confidence took knocks on the quarter hour when first he spilled the ball 8 yards out before retrieval at the second attempt and then failed to get a hold on CHRIS BETTNEY’S free kick that dipped menacingly toward the far post before going out for a goal kick.
Despite a nervy start Worksop were beginning to grow in confidence but it was Nantwich who carved out the next opportunity when ASHLEY CARTER’S tenacity earned a corner from which DANNY ADAMS cut the ball back into the box for ROBINSON whose glancing header from 10 yards fell narrowly wide of the target. However, defensive frailties cost the ‘Dabbers’ in the 23rd minute when the pace of the lively JAMIE JACKSON took him past his marker’s before bringing RYAN MALLON into play who followed by applying a cool but easy finish when lofting the ball over the stranded CHAPMAN from close range to square the match.
The goal provided the visitors with further impetus and in the 28th minute PETER KNOX sped past 4 home defenders before striking the side netting from 12 yards out. Meanwhile, as the time ran down toward the break Worksop made further inroads that placed the Nantwich defence on permanent alert with CHRIS BETTNEY, JACKSON and MALLON in particular the main threats whilst Nantwich were dealt a defensive blow in the 43rd minute when left back DAVE TICKLE sustained a foot injury that could rule him out of Wednesday’s testing trip in prospect away at FC United.

HT: NANTWICH TOWN 1 v WORKSOP TOWN 1

Nantwich began the second half well and in the 47th minute really should have gone ahead for a second time after Worksop custodian KENNEDY was found stranded 10 yards off his line but, just when it seemed a goal was inevitable ROBINSON somehow managed to place his shot wide of an undefended goal.
That error proved costly - Nantwich confidence began to sap and Worksop almost inevitably took advantage. With their passing game now falling below standard the ‘Dabbers’ found it hard to contain the ‘Tigers’ who went ahead in the 63rd minute through PETER KNOX after the striker turned ADAMS to cut back from the bye line and fire between CHAPMAN and the near post. JACKSON was next to threaten the home goal but on this occasion CHAPMAN went down well at his left hand post to smother the shot whilst at the other end substitute KYLE BLAKE’S inside pass to LENNON was hacked away from the hard working striker’s feet before he could get a touch on the ball perched on the edge of the 6 yard box.

Both sides rang changes in the final quarter hour of normal time and despite his advancing years RODNEY JACK’S pace still allows him an advantage at this level of football and in the 80th minute waltzed past 3 defenders before turning the ball into the path of LENNON but, despite a promising looking strike LENNON dragged his shot wide of the left hand post. Credit to Nantwich, they never gave up in their efforts to secure at least a point and it was LENNON again, this time in the 84th minute, when his goal bound looking shot was tipped one handed over the angle of post and bar for a corner. Meanwhile, at the other end, a brave CHAPMAN dived on his line at the feet of substitute DANIEL SIMPSON to deny the substitute winger followed by a controversial incident at the other end which had the crowd roaring in disapproval after COLLIVER flattened LENNON just outside the area. LENNON, who required treatment, was clearly en route toward goal at the time for which referee JOHN SHEFFIELD controversially elected to take no action whilst in added time, TINSON lifted SEDGEMORE’S free kick over the bar and then in almost the last kick of the game FLYNN blazed wide from short distance.

FT: NANTWICH TOWN 1 v WORKSOP TOWN 2

Match report written by Ashley Houghton