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

Match Report

EVO-STIK FOOTBALL LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION
Saturday 26th March.2011
NANTWICH TOWN 1 v HUCKNALL TOWN 2
CHARLIE REEVES.44 TYEISSE NIGHTINGALE. 9.55
NANTWICH TOWN: PLATT. SEDGEMORE (c). FOSTER. McDONALD. REEVES. CARR. JACK. HUGHES (BLACKHURST 65). WHITTAKER (BLAKE 88). LENNON. CARTER (ASPINWALLL 75). Substitutes: CHAPMAN g/k. BLACKHURST. BLAKE. CRANE. ASPINWALL.
HUCKNALL TOWN: WHALIN. BOAFO. JEPSON. DIUK (c). BALL. BURGE. SMITH. HOLMES (WHITMAN 84). NIGHTINGALE (GRAHAM 82). RYAN (GILL 89). GRIFFITHS -JUNIOR. Substitutes: LLOYD. GRAHAM. BRINDLEY. WHITMAN. GILL.
REFEREE: MR STEVEN COPELAND.
ATTENDANCE: 303.
MATCH RATING: **
Man of the Match: TYEISSE NIGHTINGALE. (Hucknall Town)
A brace from Tyeisse Nightingale was enough for Hucknall to complete the double over Nantwich Town and provide them with three vital points but, the reality is, games are fast running out and both Nantwich and Hucknall remain dangerously close to the relegation zone. Meanwhile, the home side included new goalkeeper DANIEL PLATT in their line-up having arrived from Telford United 24 hours earlier.
The first opportunity, in this otherwise dull encounter, fell to the visitors in the 11th minute when ANTHONY GRIFFITHS-JUNIOR drilled wide from a 25 yard free kick. However, two minutes later, Hucknall deservedly took the lead when a GRIFFITHS-JUNIOR slide rule pass caught the home defence square leaving TYEISSE NIGHTINGALE to slip the ball under debutant DANIEL PLATT.
Nantwich had to wait until the 16th minute for their first opportunity, when the evergreen RODNEY JACK popped up from just outside the area before firing wide of the target. However, on 20 minutes, Hucknall had ROSS WHALIN to thank for keeping Nantwich out after ‘Dabbers’ leading scorer MICHAEL LENNON initially teed up JACK whose rasping drive was fisted out by the Hucknall custodian.
NIGHTINGALE really should have extended his side’s lead in the 22nd minute, but from close range looped his free header over the bar. Nantwich defender CHARLIE REEVES was booked for a high challenge on WHALIN in the 41st minute whilst three minutes later; LENNON made space on the edge of the area but scuffed his shot providing WHALIN with an easy save. However, right on the stroke of half time, Nantwich captain JAKE SEDGEMORE lofted a free kick toward goal from where REEVES climbed the highest to head over the ‘keeper to bring the sides level.
HT: NANTWICH TOWN 1 v HUCKNALL TOWN 1
Hucknall went into the lead for a second time thanks mainly to a disastrous mix up in the Nantwich defence – PLATT initially parrying NIGHTINGALES first attempt but made no mistake from the rebound. For the home side, DAVE WHITTAKER struck a post in the 58th minute from close range whilst in the 67th minute, ROD McDONALD’S header from inside the 6 yard box was held by WHALIN.
Nantwich continued to press to get back on level terms for the second time in the match and in the 71st minute neat approach play on the edge of the area set up substitute midfielder GLYN BLACKHURST but, despite being in a good position, clipped his close range shot over the bar. In the 77th minute, LENNON broke clear of the Hucknall defence but was unable to obtain get sufficient power on his shot to test WHALIN.
PLATT excelled right on the stroke of normal time when he acrobatically saved from Hucknall sub TRISTRAM WHITMAN whilst in added time, JACK and BLACKHURST had chances and had only one succeeded, would have at least provided a share of the spoils, and a precious point in the bargain as Nantwich battle for survival in the Premier Division.
FT: NANTWICH TOWN 1 v HUCKNALL TOWN 2

Match report written by Ashley Houghton