FC Halifax Town  3
Nantwich Town 1
League (NPL Premier Division)

Match Report

EVO-STIK FOOTBALL LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION
Tuesday 29th March.2011

FC HALIFAX TOWN 3 v NANTWICH TOWN 1
Jamie Vardy.31.78 Michael Carr.50
Scott Hogan.69
FC HALIFAX TOWN: Hedge. Hardy. Lowe. Baker. Bower (c). Liam Hogan. Vardy. Scott Hogan. Holland. Gregory. Garner. SUBSTITUTES: Senior. Phelan. Milne. Woods.
NANTWICH TOWN: Platt. Sedgemore (c) (McAnulty 80). Whittaker. Hughes. Reeves. McDonald. Carter (Kirkham-Stubbs 80). Carr. Oswell. Lennon. Blackhurst. SUBSTITUTES: Chapman. McAnulty. Aspinwall. Blake. Kirkham-Stubbs.
Referee: MR D.LAWRENCE.
Attendance: 1,347.
Lee McAnulty and Daniel Kirkham-Stubbs were included in the squad for ‘The Dabbers’ inaugural visit to runaway leaders FC Halifax Town after Rodney Jack and Zac Foster became unavailable earlier in the day whilst Crewe youth striker JASON OSWELL was making his first appearance for Nantwich having arrived from Gresty Road last weekend. Meanwhile, manager Jimmy Quinn was seeking a much improved performance from his side after a disappointing home defeat at the hands of lowly Hucknall Town to leave Nantwich hovering uncomfortably close to the relegation zone.
The opening 10 minutes saw even exchanges between the two sides although in the 4th minute, CHARLIE REEVES was called upon to make a timely clearance from the path of Halifax midfielder SCOTT HOGAN. On the quarter hour, the home side began to step up the pace and it was thanks’ to MICHAEL CARR for closing FC Halifax striker DANNY HOLLAND down just as The ‘Shaymen’s’ No.9 was about to make a turn from the right hand edge of the area toward the Nantwich goal. As the minutes ticked by, Nantwich were having difficulty in winning the first ball and too often were in retreat as the home side continued to press in all areas. On 18 minutes, in form Halifax midfielder JAMIE VARDY found ASHLEY CARTER in his path but despite CARTER conceding a corner, his marking at least prevented VARDY from making further progress. FC Halifax’s mobility continued to drag Nantwich around the well maintained pitch and on 26 minutes HOGAN tested Nantwich ‘keeper DANIEL PLATT with an angled shot from deep along the Nantwich right hand side. A minute later, Nantwich worked their way down the FC Halifax left hand side that culminated in CARTER delivering a shot toward the 6 yard box but with no Nantwich player on hand, home ‘keeper JONATHAN HEDGE had the easiest of tasks to claim the ball.
FC Halifax went ahead in disappointing fashion in the 31st minute. From a move that began deep in their own half, the home side pressed deep along the ‘Dabbers’ right hand side and when the ball was whipped in across the 6 yard box VARDY had the easiest of tasks to come in on the blind side of ROD McDONALD and place a downward header under PLATT despite the Nantwich ‘keeper diving in the right direction. Meanwhile, at the other end, MICHAEL LENNON worked his way toward the right hand corner flag before delivering a blistering shot toward the near post aimed for OSWELL who was pushed as he went to meet the ball but instead caught the full force of the ball in his face. Despite some delay before he was able to get back on his feet, OSWELL was able to continue. On 37 minutes, a JAKE SEDGEMORE free kick toward the right hand post was headed behind for a corner following which; GLYNN BLACKHURST met the incoming ball to head clear of the bar from 8 yards. At the other end, following a foul on VARDY by McDONALD 5 yards outside the area, winger SIMON GARNER’S dead ball kick to the far post ended some way off target.
HT: FC HALIFAX TOWN 1 v NANTWICH TOWN 0
Within three minutes of the restart, the home side won a corner when PLATT tipped midfielder HOGAN’S shot around the left hand post. Two minutes later, CARR silenced the somewhat partisan home support when he latched on to a ball from BLACKHURST and from 22 yards out drove a low shot to HEDGE’S right - the ball skimming under the ‘keepers outstretched right arm to bring Nantwich level. The goal appeared to surprise the home side, with Nantwich confidently knocking the ball around in a five minute spell. However, the momentum having disappointingly faded away, FC Halifax regained control and in the 56th minute LEE GREGORY clipped the ball over the bar from 12 yards out followed in the 58th minute by HOLLAND, whose close range effort following a pass from VARDY was dealt with confidently by PLATT. On the hour, LENNON and McDONALD combined in a promising looking move down the FC Halifax right before LENNON clipped the ball toward the near post from where HEDGES met the rising shot to erase further threat from ‘The Dabbers’. VARDY was booked for a 65th minute challenge on CARTER – OSWELL followed into referee MR LAWRENCE’S notebook for time wasting in the 68th minute whilst a minute later, SCOTT HOGAN put his side back into the lead when he peeled away from the Nantwich defence to rise and head above PLATT into the roof of the net from 8 yards out following a corner.
FC Halifax pressed for a further goal and went further ahead in the 78th minute when VARDY’S pace took him around CARTER before driving a low shot across the bows of the diving PLATT into the far bottom corner of the net from just inside the area. On 84 minutes, PLATT excelled when he blocked a VARDY strike at the midfielders feet whilst in the 88th minute, REEVES presence on the fringe of the area was instrumental in preventing VARDY from completing a potential hat trick. In additional time, PLATT acrobatically tipped a goal bound looking strike from VARDY over the bar whilst in the final minute of added time, REEVES again came to Nantwich’s rescue when he placed a well timed tackle on VARDY that halted his momentum a mere 10 yards from goal.
FT: FC HALIFAX TOWN 3 v NANTWICH TOWN 1

Match report written by Ashley Houghton