Nantwich Town 3
Ashton United 2
League (NPL Premier Division)

Match Report

Nantwich Town continued their push for the play offs as they beat a spirited Ashton United 3-2 at the Weaver Stadium.

The Dabbers took a 2-0 lead, but Ashton fought back to force Nantwich to hang on for all three points.

Phil Parkinson made two changes from the side that pushed Crewe Alexandra all the way in the Cheshire Cup Final, with Josh Hancock and Joe Mwasile returning. Steve Jones and Osebi Abadaki dropped to the subs bench, with Vinny Mukendi replacing Tom Peers in the squad.

The Dabbers started the game on the front foot, controlling possession but Ashton had the first chance, Lee Knight inside the box couldn’t keep his shot down and put the effort well over the bar.

From a long range free kick, top scorer Chadwick curled an effort on goal, but Gyollai punched the ball away for a corner.

The Dabbers were threatening at the other end, but Ryan Brooke couldn’t quite turn home a Hancock cross.

Then on 17 minutes a ball over the top set Mwasile away on goal. He calmly lifted the ball past Pilling (pictured) to put the Dabbers in front.

Soon after, a Brooke cross was turned behind for a corner as the Dabbers turned up the pressure.

Hancock had a chance to extend the lead when he headed a Mwasile cross straight at the keeper.

Mwasile dragged a shot wide whilst Touray got in down the left and forced Pilling into a smart save at his near post.

The Dabbers pressure told and they doubled their lead from a corner. Pilling missed it while jumping with Ben Harrison, and it hit Robins captain Mark Lees and rolled in.

Pilling then had to tip a corner over under pressure from Curtis Jones and Brooke couldn’t connect on an overhead kick when the ball dropped to him in the box.

Ashton started the second half brightly and Chadwick had a big part to play in getting a goal back. He curled a shot on goal and Gyollai was unable to hold onto his effort at full stretch. The ball fell nicely for Ryan Crowther, who tapped in from close range for 2-1.

The Dabbers hit back when Hancock played in Brooke, but his bobbling shot went wide.

At the other end, Crowther hit a shot on goal which Gyollai got down quickly to save.

Parkinson brought on Steve Jones and Vinny Mukendi before White had the next chance. He cut inside and shot straight at Pilling.

Hancock then curled a free kick wide of goal.

Mukendi had 2 good chances to extend the Dabbers lead as he first saw a close range shot saved by Pilling after good work from Bell. He then put a free header from a corner wide of the post.

The Dabbers looked to have put the game to bed late on when a through ball set Steve Jones away on goal. He showed the Robins' defence a clean pair of heels and lifted the ball past Pilling for his 11th of the season.

But Ashton hit back and scored a second. The ball bounced around the home side’s box before reaching Chadwick whose volley rebounded in off Wayne Riley.

That set up a nervy finish, but the Dabbers ran down the clock and picked up another important three points in their push for promotion.

Nantwich Town: Dan Gyollai, Andy White, Ibou Touray, Curtis Jones, Ben Harrison, Sam Hall(c), Josh Hancock, Wayne Riley, Ryan Brooke (Vinny Mukendi, 71), Matt Bell, Joe Mwasile (Steve Jones, 73). Unused subs: Sean Cooke, Joel Stair, Osebi Abadaki

Match report written by the Nantwich News