Buxton 4
Nantwich Town 1
League (NPL Premier Division)

Match Report

Nantwich Town slipped to their first league defeat since August and first away defeat of the season, beaten 4-1 away at fellow promotion chasers Buxton.

It started well for the Dabbers as they forged ahead through a Ryan Brooke goal after seven minutes. Brooke pounced on a weak back pass and slotted in his sixth of the season.

Nantwich then held out comfortably for the rest of the first half.

But after the break the hosts took control once they have equalised 10 minutes in through Joel Bembo-Leta, who grabbed a second on 70 minutes.

The game was finished with seven minutes to go when Brad Abbott scored a free kick, Brad Grayson completed the scoring from the spot late on.

The game didn’t take long to burst into life as Sean Cooke went down in the box six minutes in. The ref was not interested in his calls for a spot kick.

The Dabbers hit the front a minute later, Brooke composed himself before slotting past Bucks keeper Jan Budtz for his sixth goal of the season.

Brooke then forced a save out of Butz on 12 minutes as the Dabbers continued to create chances.

Buxton responded well, with Grayson and Abbott having shots blocked in the box.

On 28 minutes, the Dabbers broke at pace and the move ended with Stair having a shot deflected wide.

Buxton were starting to see more of the ball and they came close to an equaliser when an Ali Taylor cross was cleared off the line.

Nantwich had chances to extend their lead after the restart, with Brooke and Cooke causing problems.

The best chance came when a cross fell to a wide open Sanders. He couldn’t apply the finish though, with Butz keeping his shot out.

And the Dabbers were left to rue those missed chances as Buxton equalised on 54 minutes.

A scramble in the Dabbers box fell to Bembo-Leta, who finished from short range to bring the Bucks level.

Phil Parkinson made two with Brooke and Stair coming off for Abadaki and Mwasile.

But the Dabbers fell behind with 18 minutes to play.

A cross into the box wasn’t dealt with by Curtis Jones or Parton and Bembo-Leta capitalised on the confusion to nod the ball over the stranded keeper.

Abadaki missed a chance to level before Buxton turned the screw.

Abbott again came close but his shot was deflected straight to Parton.

As the game ticked into the final 10 minutes from a free-kick. Abbott’s low shot was saved by Parton, but the keeper couldn’t hold onto the ball and it slipped through his grasp and into the bottom corner.

Two minutes later, Mwasile fouled his man in the box and Grayson buried the spot kick to wrap up the game.

Nantwich Town: Dave Parton, Andy White, Ibou Touray, Curtis Jones, Ben Harrison, Tim Sanders, Josh Hancock(c) (Dave Walker, 78), Matt Bell, Ryan Brooke (Osebi Abadaki, 60), Sean Cooke, Theo Stair (Joe Mwasile, 59). Subs not used; Joel Stair, Wayne Riley

Match report written by Jack Jones (www.nantwchtownfc.co.uk)