Nantwich Town 2
Stafford Rangers 0
League (NPL Premier Division)

Match Report

Nantwich Town 2-0 Stafford Rangers
Evo-Stik NPL Premier Division – Monday 26th December
Nantwich Town ran out comfortable 2-0 winners over Stafford Rangers in a very professional display of football at the Weaver Stadium.
The Dabbers were the dominant side throughout and put their ex-goalkeeper Danny Read under immense pressure from the first minute.
First half goals from Ben Mills and Michael Lennon were enough for the hosts who, according to manager Jimmy Quinn, were comfortable throughout.
He said: “We could have been four or five up at half time”
“We looked really comfortable and overall I’m delighted with the players’ attitude as local derbies can always be potential banana skins.”
It was a matter of seconds after the kick off when Dave MacPherson hit the post for Nantwich from Zak Foster’s near post corner - the midfielder ran off in celebration thinking the ball had crept into the bottom left hand corner.
Ten minutes later Nantwich should have opened the scoring again, this time Michael Lennon was fed through by Chris Flynn but the Dabbers front man was excellently thwarted by Read in the Stafford goal.
Nantwich took the lead just after the half hour mark when Zak Foster’s bending cross was headed into the top corner by Ben Mills who notched up his 11th league goal of the campaign – nearly two months since his tenth.
The ex-Stafford man delighted his manager with his return to the score sheet after a torrid time of late.
“I am pleased for Ben he’s worked really hard, in fact he could have had two or three today.
“There will be a game soon where we get five or six, we’ve worked the ball really well today and got good crosses into the box which when you have players like Ben and Lenny creates lots of chances.”
The lead was doubled on the stroke of half time as Dabbers striker Michael Lennon flashed home Mat Bailey’s flick on from another Foster corner.
Nantwich remained the dominant side throughout the second half with Lennon again going close, this time shooting wide from a Mills knockdown.
The impressive Tow Urwin continued to be lively throughout the second half and his right footed shot flew just over on the hour mark.
Stafford’s only attempt on goal came in the latter stages as substitute Neville Thompson shot wide of Jon Brain’s left hand post from 25 yards.
Nantwich: Brain, Lowe, Foster, MacPherson, Bailey, Solovjovs, Maguire (Jack, 83), Flynn ©, Mills (Everall, 90), Lennon, Urwin (Mitchell, 89). Sub: Summerskill
Stafford: Read, George, Patrick, Rogers, Dicker ©, Skelton (Sheldon, 60), Stevenson, Carr, Nagington (Heler, 68), Bell, Clayton (Thompson, 60). Subs: Espley, Alcock

Match report written by Ashley Houghton