Nantwich Town 0
Bradford (Park Avenue) 1
League (NPL Premier Division)

Match Report

EVO-STIK FOOTBALL LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION
Saturday 22nd January.2011
MATCH REPORT

NANTWICH TOWN 0 v BRADFORD PARK AVENUE 1
Tom Greaves. 50
NANTWICH TOWN: Allcock. Sedgemore. Carter. Flynn (c). Reeves (Aspinwall 81). Mitchell. Blake (Mahmoud 70). Blackhurst. Connerton (Whittaker 70). Lennon. Short. Substitutes: Mahmoud. Aspinwall. Foster. Whittaker. Chapman g/k.
BRADFORD PARK AVENUE. Lamb. Plummer. Drury. Burton. Renshaw. Knowles. O’Brien (c) (Greaves 46). Clayton. James. Savory. Gibson (Tiani 41). Substitutes: Greaves. Tiani. Claisse. Hume. Riordan.
Referee: Mr M. D’Aguilera.
Attendance: 369
Bradford attacked from the whistle but it was thanks’ to ASHLEY CARTER who nicked the ball out of the path of stalking Bradford striker AIDAN SAVORY in the 2nd minute that denied the visitors a golden opportunity. The visitors were holding territorial advantage in the early stages and after ‘Dabbers’ captain CHRIS FLYNN lost possession in the 4th minute Bradford’s momentum earned them a corner. However, despite being in an unmarked position midfielder JAMES KNOWLES placed his close range effort wide of the left hand post, thus letting Nantwich off the hook.
Meanwhile, Bradford custodian JON LAMB denied JORDAN CONNERTON in the 5th minute whilst at the other end, CAMERON MITCHELL’S intervention prevented Bradford winger LUKE GIBSON from homing in on goal. CONNERTON again brought the best out of LAMB after CARTER had played a delightful close range pass into his feet whilst in the 20th minute, LAMB turned a CONNERTON shot behind for a corner. Three minutes later LAMB blocked yet another CONNERTON effort whilst at the other end, Nantwich ‘keeper ADAM ALLCOCK saved a close range effort with a ball that bounced off the chest of visiting striker MATTY JAMES.
Just after the half hour, ALLCOCK made a great block on a close range shot from Bradford captain ROB O’BRIEN whilst at the other end, MICHAEL LENNON stole between two defenders but just as he was about to shoot, the ‘Dabbers’ leading scorer lost his footing. Nantwich continued to drive forward and in a further opportunity a GLYNN BLACKHURST strike flew off bar followed by KYLE BLAKE’S angled shot that grazed the bar. The Bradford goalmouth had been leading a bit of a charmed life for a while, but try as they might, Nantwich were either out of luck on occasion, or found LAMB in scintillating form. CARTER then tried a shot from distance, but his effort fell wide of the target, Meanwhile, at the other end, ‘Dabbers’ captain CHRIS FLYNN lost possession on the edge of his area but thanks’ to CARTER, the emergency left back tidied up, albeit at the expense of a corner.
On 40 minutes, the athletic LAMB tipped a super strike from LEWIS SHORT on to the bar after CARTER had played him in on the Bradford right with a well executed pass whilst right on the stroke of half time, SHORT was unlucky not to reach the ball in the 6 yard box ahead of LAMB.
HT: Nantwich Town 0 v Bradford Park Avenue 0
Bradford went close to taking the lead in the 48th minute when their tall central defender BRETT RENSHAW placed a header narrowly wide of a post. For Nantwich, LENNON was unlucky when his close range shot from a well timed CONNERTON pass glanced off a defender for a corner followed by a poorly taken JAKE SEDGEMORE free kick that went straight through to LAMB. CARTER then lost the ball deep in his own half conceding Bradford a corner. Nervous moments passed as Bradford camped in the area and in the 50th minute failure to close down substitute TOM GREAVES led to the visitors taking the lead when GREAVES was allowed to encroach unchallenged deep on the left and fire across ALLCOCK into the far bottom corner of the net.
BLAKE’S 59th minute attempt from distance was on target but unfortunately had too much lift on it and cleared the bar. SHORT was then the subject of a deliberate foul inside the Bradford area but the referee in his judgement allowed play to continue. Meanwhile, Nantwich once again started to live dangerously in defence and in one incident; it was thanks’ to ALLCOCK who produced a timely save to deny SAVORY. ALLCOCK then came to the rescue when he produced a great save from RENSHAW before play switched to the Bradford half where again, the athleticism of LAMB denied LENNON when he tipped a goal bound looking shot over the bar.
Bradford were reduced to 10 men in the 76th minute when central defender STEVE BURTON was dismissed for a second bookable offence whilst in the 80th minute, play was held up for an injury (calf) to CHARLIE REEVES. The popular defender was eventually lifted on to a stretcher but not before he was seen to bang the ground in frustration with a fist. Ironically, REEVES was making his first appearance following a recent head injury. Nantwich continued to plug away – LAMB denied Nantwich substitute SAM ASPINWALL in the 88th minute whilst 2 minutes into additional time, Nantwich were reduced to 10 men when MITCHELL was dismissed for a second bookable offence.
FT: NANTWICH TOWN 0 v BRADFORD PARK AVENUE 1

Match report written by Ashley Houghton