Eastwood Town 1
Nantwich Town 5
League (NPL Premier Division)

Match Report

Eastwood Town 1 –5 Nantwich Town
Evo-Stik NPL Premier Division – Saturday 20th November 2012
The Dabbers extended their away league unbeaten run to six as they ran riot at Eastwood’s Coronation Park.
A brace for Kyle Wilson and a goal each for Sean Cooke, Lewis Short and Caspar Hughes sent Jimmy Quinn’s men into 2nd place in the EvoStik Northern Premier Division.
Nantwich made two changes to the side that drew with Hednesford Town in midweek with Chris Flynn and Caspar Hughes replacing Darren Moss and Niall Maguire.
The Dabbers started brightly and put pressure on The Badgers backline from the off with Mat Bailey twice going close in the opening 15 minutes.
Nantwich took the lead on the half-hour through their leading marksman Cooke. The former Crewe Alexandra youth caught the Eastwood defence off guard when he nestled a 25-yard free-kick into the top left-hand corner of Sam Andrew’s goal.
The hosts never really tested Jonny Brain in The Dabbers goal; the closest they went was Paolo Piliero’s right foot drive which sailed high and wide.
Nantwich had the chance to double their lead just five minutes into the second-half as Josh Lane was brought down in the area by Chris Shaw leaving Cooke with the opportunity to slot home from the spot. However, Cooke’s connection was too sweet and the ball cannoned back off the crossbar giving the hosts a lifeline.
The Badgers didn’t take that lifeline though as Wilson picked up Alex Troke’s headed clearance and hammered home to double the Dabbers advantage.
The floodgates then opened as Nantwich continued to play with fluidity in the attacking third, Cooke went close a couple more times before Short produced a fine finish into the top corner from McLachlan’s cut back.
The Dabbers made it 4-0 with a quarter hour left on the clock, a nice one-two between Short and Hughes left the latter with acres of space to thread the ball under Andrew and send the travelling Nantwich support into delight.
The fifth came in the 87th minute as Rod McDonald broke down the left hand side and beat the keeper leaving Wilson with the most simple of tap-ins.
The hosts scored a late consolation through Greg Simmons but a wonderful Dabbers performance extended the Dabbers unbeaten run to four as they prepare for a massive FA Trophy 2nd Round Qualifying game with AFC Fylde on Saturday.
Nantwich: Brain, Flynn, Smith (Foster, 74), Hughes, Bailey, McDonald, Cooke, McLachlan (Campbell, 84), Lane (Beesley, 77), Wilson, Short. Subs: Moss, Maguire.

Match report written by www.nantwichtownfc.co.uk