Hucknall Town 3
Nantwich Town 1
League (NPL Premier Division)

Match Report

EVO –STIK FOOTBALL LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION
Saturday 9th October.2010

HUCKNALL TOWN 3 v NANTWICH TOWN 1
Martin Ball.32 Michael Carr. 90
Danwell Francis. 44.
Tristram Whitman.79.

Hucknall: Whalin. Smith. Gent. Brindley. Robinson (c). Ball. Holmes.Chambers. Ricketts. Francis. Griffiths. Substitutes: Walters. Whitman. Boafo. Lloyd.

Nantwich: Chapman. Flynn(c). Tickle. Adams. Reeves. Carr. Jack (Mahmoud 60). Blackhurst. Whittaker. Aspinwall. Carter. Substitutes: Sedgemore. Blake. Mahmoud. Aaron Carter. Street.
Referee: Mr N.Smith.
Attendance 219.
Nantwich were hit by the absence of on loan Jordan Connerton (stomach strain) and Michael Lennon (wedding) forcing joint managers Kevin Street /Darren Tinson to select a different strike partnership for the potentially tricky visit to Hucknall. Meanwhile, defender Danny Adams, who earlier in the week had been ruled out with persistent ankle ligament damage, made himself available despite his continuing problem.
Hucknall began in earnest and in the 2nd minute ‘Dabbers’ goalkeeper BEN CHAPMAN just managed to fingertip GRANT BRINDLEY’S long range punt over the bar for a corner whilst from a defensive clearance Nantwich surged forward in their first attack in which front man DAVE WHITTAKER’S header was narrowly off target from a CHRIS FLYNN right wing centre. In a further Nantwich forward move SAM ASPINWALL’S shot from an acute angle was turned behind for a corner. Moments later, Nantwich produced a further opportunity when ASHLEY CARTER sped past right back FABIAN SMITH before driving a low shot across the face of goal followed by a great move from RODNEY JACK on the opposite flank – JACK fending off the challenge of left back DEAN GENT before cutting in from the bye line and lashing a fierce shot toward the near post which unfortunately was hacked away by an under pressure Hucknall back line.
But, despite those promising flurries by Nantwich the home side gradually began to have more of the possession and just past the 20 minute mark CHAPMAN had to be alert to hold a free kick from JARED HOLMES, which dipped menacingly toward the foot of the left hand post and moments later a similar effort by former Ilkeston Town striker GARY RICKETTS was held at the same spot. Approaching the half hour, and from a CARTER cross from the left WHITTAKER placed a close range header over the bar whilst at the other end, ‘Dabbers’ central defender CHARLIE REEVES pulled off a spot of smart defending when his well timed intervention halted the dangerous looking run of DANWELL FRANCIS. However, on 32 minutes, poor judgement by CHAPMAN gifted the home side their opening goal when he appeared to think that Hucknall midfielder MARTIN BALL’S speculative punt from well outside the area was going over the bar but he was mistaken – the ball went over his head into the left hand corner of the net. Buoyed by what was a gift of a goal Hucknall applied further pressure and on 37 minutes FRANCIS went close with a glancing header and for a time, Nantwich really were on the back foot. A minute from the break that pressure was turned into a second goal after winger ANTHONY GRIFFITH’S initial shot from inside the area was partially blocked by CHAPMAN but the ball spun away into the path of FRANCIS who was presented with the easiest of tasks of stroking the ball over the line into an unguarded net. Meanwhile, in added time, ASPINWALL was presented with a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit but instead of applying a little cool blasted his shot from a mere 10 yards, with only WHALIN to beat –wide of the target.

HT: Hucknall Town 2 v Nantwich Town 0
Hucknall started the second half in similar fashion and in the 50th minute, with Nantwich in retreat, FRANCIS cleared the bar in spectacular fashion when it would have been easier to take a calmer approach and put the ball in the net. From the goal kick Nantwich surged forward and WHITTAKER had a chance from an ASPINWALL cross but the shot finished off target and from the goal kick Hucknall threatened again, this time through HOLMES whose strike from just inside the area was held by CHAPMAN. However, Hucknall returned with yet another attack and were it not for the timely intervention of REEVES Hucknall’s GRIFFITHS would have been clear through on goal. By now, Nantwich were failing to win a share of possession that would have at least eased some of the pressure but credit to ‘Dabbers’ left back DAVE TICKLE, he did spot the dangerous looking run of RICKETT’S in the nick of time as the home side came calling again. However, Nantwich did start to pick up the threads again just before the hour which saw a FLYNN centre from the right turned away for a corner from which WHALIN just managed to punch clear from inside a crowded 6 yard box whilst CARTER’S run following an ASPINWALL pass looked promising until the Nantwich winger lost out to the challenge of SMITH just as CARTER was about to turn for goal. On 63 minutes, close range shots from WHITTAKER and ASPINWALL cannoned off a sea of defensive legs before the game switched to the Nantwich half and GRIFFITH’S should have done better after cutting through the Nantwich defence before blasting his angled shot well wide from deep on the right. Hucknall continued to press, winning a trio of corners in the 76th minute during which REEVES was to the fore in the third when he headed clear from inside the 6 yard box.
With around a quarter of an hour of normal time remaining Hucknall introduced the well travelled TRISTRAM WHITMAN at the expense of FRANCIS – the forward making an immediate impact when his first touch produced a shot that forced CHAPMAN into a save whilst in the 79th minute WHITMAN effectively put the game out of reach of Nantwich when he took advantage of some calamitous defending to score from close range.
In the dying minutes, a run from midfield by GLYNN BLACKHURST ended in disappointing fashion when his shot from just outside the area cleared the bar whilst right on the stroke of normal time Hucknall captain PAUL ROBINSON upended substitute winger OMAR MAHMOUD in the box from which WHALIN initially saved MICHAEL CARR’S penalty before homing in on the rebound and putting the ball in the net. Nantwich were undoubtedly handicapped by the absence of CONNERTON and LENNON but still fielded a fairly strong line up that unfortunately fell short against a Hucknall side that without sounding disrespectful, were average side at best.

FT: Hucknall Town 3 v Nantwich Town 1

Match report written by Ashley Houghton