Frickley Athletic 3
Nantwich Town 0
League (NPL Premier Division)

Match Report

EVO-STIK FOOTBALL LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION
Tuesday 15th March.2011
FRICKLEY ATHLETIC 3 v NANTWICH TOWN 0
Gavin Smith.52
Ashley Burbeary.57.
Ashley Longstaff.71
Nantwich Town match reports aren’t exactly the stuff that ‘Dabber’ fans clamour for in earnest these days and after this eighth straight defeat on Tuesday night, it’s hard to imagine anyone who wasn’t in attendance falling over themselves to digest what unfolded at a very damp and foggy Tech 5 stadium in West Yorkshire. However, without any cynicism in the slightest, there was but one welcome statistic worthy of note; Nantwich Physio Paul Kelly wasn’t called upon once to treat a Nantwich player –a rarity in this most turbulent of seasons. Meanwhile, there was an enforced late change to the Nantwich starting line-up when Michael Carr telephoned to report that he was stranded on the M1 due to a car breakdown- young defender Zac Foster had earlier reported sick whilst on a positive note, defenders Charlie Reeves and Rod McDonald were declared fit despite limping out of last weekend’s reverse at the hands of Ashton United.
Frickley started the match on the back of a mixed bag of results including a poor home record that left them without a home win since beating Northwich back in early November. And it was clear from the whistle that the Frickley management had given more than a hint to their players that they should go out and try to take advantage of Nantwich’s poor run of form because Nantwich were on the back foot within seconds – the ball criss crossing the area in an attempt to get either of the Frickley front pairing of BRIAN CUSWORTH and ASHLEY LONGSTAFF away. Nantwich hardly had time to make an effective clearance – the ball continually coming back at them and had it not been for some off target shooting the home side could well have been a couple of goals in front within the first five minutes.
The pace of midfielders ANDY CATTON and JAMES ASHMORE were giving ‘The Dabbers’ a torrid time, leaving Nantwich struggling to win the first ball. On three minutes, the unmarked ASHMORE found himself in acres of space before lashing a bullet strike from the edge of the area from which BEN CHAPMAN did well to palm the ball behind at the expense of a corner. The initial pressure easing slightly, Nantwich managed to turn defence into attack which saw CASPER HUGHES work the ball through into the path of JORDAN CONNERTON in the 5th minute but BEN SIMPSON in the home goal threw himself on top of the ball before CONNERTON could get a purchase on it.
Frickley hit back with a series of forward moves, but for all their endeavours, their off target finishing continued to disappoint the small home support. A move started by JAKE SEDGEMORE led to Nantwich’s first corner in the 7th minute whilst two minutes later CONNERTON’S close range strike was held at the foot of a post by SIMPSON. Meanwhile, at the other end, CHAPMAN saved from LONGSTAFF before the nippy CATTON outstripped the Nantwich defence to send in a blistering effort that crept over the bar with only inches to spare. Nantwich, still finding it difficult to win the first ball, did manage a rare break from their own half in the 17th minute to win a corner from which MICHAEL LENNON proceeded to home in on a clearance, but the underworked SIMPSON read the Nantwich leading scorer’s shot well before smothering it on his line.
However, the remainder of the half clearly belonged to Frickley with SIMPSON virtually redundant whilst his opposite number CHAPMAN was kept occupied virtually throughout. With the home side launching attack after attack it seemed only a matter of time before Nantwich conceded. However, a combination of profligate shooting from the Frickley front runners in particular, CHAPMAN aerobatics, combined with more than a few slices of luck, Nantwich managed to reach the break clinging on to a clean sheet.
In the second half, the Dabbers struggled to counteract the initiative shown by their hosts in the opening period. The further the match progressed; Frickley’s task became easier as the game wore on. Slack marking cost Nantwich the first goal when right back GAVIN SMITH rose unmarked at the far post in the 52nd minute to head back across goal into the top corner of the net after the home side had initially secured a corner on the ‘Dabbers’ right hand side. Frickley went further ahead in the 57th minute when CHAPMAN initially spilled the ball on his line –winger ASHLEY BURBEARY following up to lash the ball into the back of the net and the match was effectively over for Nantwich in the 71st minute when burly striker ASHLEY LONGSTAFF muscled his way down the Nantwich right and into a yawning gap before punting a looping shot over the stranded CHAPMAN- the ball deflecting off the foot of the far post before spinning over the line for a goal to complete a miserable night for Nantwich.
In between, a CONNERTON effort was deflected for a corner-DAVE WHITTAKER’S close range downward header was hacked clear whilst a SEDGEMORE free kick went straight into the waiting hands of SIMPSON. Frickley have struggled for most of the season and following the departure of BILLY HEATH are still finding their feet under new manager PETER RINKAVAGE.
NANTWICH: Chapman. Carter. Jack (Blake 61). McDonald. Reeves. Whittaker. Hughes (Aspinwall 83). Blackhurst (Crane 78). Connerton. Lennon. Sedgemore. Substitutes: Blake. Haughton. Crane. Aspinwall.
Att: 150

Match report written by Ashley Houghton