Mossley 2
Nantwich Town 3
FA Trophy (2nd Round Qualifying)

Match Report

FA TROPHY 2nd Qualifying Round
Saturday 30th October.2010

MOSSLEY 2 v NANTWICH TOWN 3
Sam Hare.27 Michael Lennon.37
Andy Watson.61 Glynn Blackhurst.51
Rodney Jack.73
Mossley: Collinge. Chalmers. Walters. Warner (Weston 86). Thomas. Watson. Rowney. Settle. Oates. Fish. Hampson (Kay 75). Hare (Coo 71). Substitutes: Kay. Weston. Richardson. Coo. Ollernshaw. Barrow. Egan.
Nantwich: Chapman. Ashley Carter. Doughty (Aspinwall 86). Adams. Reeves. Sedgemore (c). Jack. Blackhurst. Whittaker. Lennon. Southern (Blake 46). Substitutes: Blake. Mahmoud. Aaron Carter. Aspinwall. Street.
Referee: Mr J.Hunt.
Att: 194
Never mind the performance-it’s the result that counts and ‘The Dabbers’ victory at Seel Park gave Nantwich not only a passage into the 3rd round of non league’s top cup competition but their first away win of the season to date.
Well, after Tuesday’s scintillating performance at Chasetown it was always going to take something special to match it any way – and match it, it certainly did not! Mossley, starting with back to back cup defeats, started slowly, whilst Nantwich began in earnest fashion and in the second minute NATHAN SOUTHERN won the ball out on the Mossley left before placing the ball across the 6 yard box with the intention of providing MICHAEL LENNON with a close range opportunity but the move broke down when LENNON was beaten to the ball by on loan Macclesfield’s MICHAEL THOMAS. A minute later, and SOUTHERN did well to latch on to a great cross field ball from Nantwich defender DANNY ADAMS – SOUTHERN’S first time volley just clearing the bar from outside the area. Meanwhile, at the other end, Nantwich were let off the hook when they allowed Mossley midfielder MICHAEL OATES to progress unchallenged deep on the left hand side before entering the 6 yard box and placing a firm shot wide of the target when it looked odds on he would score, whilst from the resultant goal kick, LENNON fired over the bar following an initial GLNN BLACKHURST throw in from deep on the Mossley left hand side.
In the 10th minute, RODNEY JACK swung a peach of a cross field ball into the path of BLACKHURST with LENNON then receiving BLACKHURST,S infield pass but despite jinxing with the ball whilst sandwiched between a couple of defenders LENNON lost out in the end and Mossley cleared again. In the 17th minute, OATES threatened again but ‘Dabbers’ goal keeper BEN CHAPMAN timed his move across the flight of the ball to perfection to complete a comfortable save, albeit on his line. Meanwhile, Nantwich were starting to frustrate – failing to win the first time ball and then the second ball – conceding space, and allowing Mossley to play around the edge of the area with uncomfortable frequency before eventually paying the price when they allowed winger SAM HARE time and space deep on the left hand side to encroach into the 6 yard box and clip the ball over CHAPMAN at the foot of the right hand post in the 27th minute.
Meanwhile, DAVE WHITTAKER, SOUTHERN and JACK combined in a move just inside the Mossley half that showed promise before play came to a halt following a foul on SOUTHERN. SOUTHERN, who has been battling with a foot injury for some time, continued following treatment but after sustaining a knock on the same foot later in the game, gingerly made his way toward half time thereafter. For Mossley, HARE fluffed a chance to make it a brace when he shot directly at CHAPMAN from a completely unmarked position on the right whilst at the other end, SOUTHERN won the ball just outside the area with the aim of bringing LENNON into play but just as the ball was played forward Mossley’s DANNY WARNER nipped in to steer the ball up field and win a free kick in the bargain from which midfielder STEVE SETTLE made a complete hash allowing play to switch ends and the build up to Nantwich’s equalizer in the 37th minute. LENNON won the ball, and from his pass SOUTHERN chested the ball down eventually leading to a throw in, followed by a corner. Mossley initially cleared – conceded a free kick from which LENNON drove an unstoppable shot across the face of goal that took a faint deflection off the boot of THOMAS and over ‘keeper PETER COLLINGE into the roof of the net to level the tie. Moments before the break, JACK was unlucky when he struck a tasty looking volley from a LENNON pass narrowly over the bar whilst at the other end, CHAPMAN held from midfielder CHRIS ROWNEY.
HT: Mossley 1 v Nantwich Town 1
KYLE BLAKE replaced the unfortunate SOUTHERN at the start of the second half and were then slow to take advantage of a mistake by COLLINGE when the Mossley stopper fumbled – lost complete control of the ball – Mossley defenders froze with a static Nantwich forward line allowing the fortunate home side well off the hook. However, BLACKHURST was in no mood for mistake’s and in the 51st minute made space along the Mossley left before making a powerful run and driving a well struck ground shot across the bows of COLLINGE into the bottom left hand corner of the net. Momentarily, Nantwich had the upper hand and on 56 minutes LENNON managed to throw off five challenges and win a corner but then began a frustrating period when conceding possession far too easily for comfort during which period Mossley defender ANDY WATSON used his height to advantage to head the ball over CHAPMAN from inside a crowded Nantwich 6 yard box in the 61st minute to bring the tie level once again.
Nantwich were looking decidedly unsteady, with the defence in particular on overtime both before and after the goal. However, ‘The Dabbers’ regrouped and in the 69th minute were desperately unlucky not to go ahead for a second time after WHITTAKER flicked the ball into the path of LENNON on the edge of the 6 yard box – LENNON in turn flicked the ball past a stranded COLLINGE but just as the ball was about to creep over the line WATSON arrived to hook the ball away. But Nantwich were not to be denied and in the 73rd minute ASHLEY CARTER bombed forward from deep into the area on the Mossley left - bring JACK into play, who skilfully turned his marker before unleashing a scorching angled shot across the body of COLLINGE and into the top far corner of the net to set up a grandstand finish. In fairness to Mossley, their heads didn’t lower and worked feverishly to bring the tie level once more. Minutes before normal time CARTER put in a well timed tackle on SETTLE to halt the midfielder’s attempted run on goal – CHAPMAN then turned a ROWNEY shot behind for a corner before holding a shot from OATES after forward MIKE FISH had put OATES clean through on goal, whilst right on the stroke of normal time ROWNEY headed over the bar from a SETTLE cross.
FT: Mossley 2 v Nantwich Town 3

Match report written by Ashley Houghton