Nantwich Town 2
Marine 2
FA Cup (2nd Round Qualifying)

Match Report

Nantwich Town relied on a last minute Steve Jones goal to earn an FA Cup replay against Marine. In a closely fought contest, the Dabbers looked to be heading out at the second qualifying round stage with just moments remaining. Then Jones popped up in the final few seconds to slam home a leveller in the 92nd minute, setting up Tuesday night replay on Merseyside.

More than 400 fans were at the Weaver Stadium for an entertaining clash in the warm sunshine yesterday.

The match was preceded by a minute’s silence in memory of Daniel Wilkinson, who died in hospital on Monday, aged just 24, after collapsing on the pitch while playing for non-league side Shaw Lane AFC.

Nantwich started brightly, and Osebi Abadaki almost opened the scoring on five minutes when his rasping drive cannoned back off the upright.

Four minutes later, Abadaki did open the scoring for the Dabbers (pictured) when he cut inside the defence and placed a fine shot into the bottom corner.

Ryan Brooke rolled the ball in after rounding the keeper on 15 minutes, but it was ruled offside.

Marine slowly worked their way into the game after soaking up Nantwich pressure in the first 20 minutes.

Sean Cooke’s curling free-kick hit the post on 40 minutes, and the Dabbers were to pay for missed opportunities.

The visitors levelled just moments before half-time, when a ball over the top found Kurt Sherlock who fired under Dave Parton’s body for 1-1.

The game opened up in the second half and Marine posed more of a threat on attack.

Sherlock had opportunities, before Brooke should have put Nantwich back in front on 71 minutes before firing over.

Then on 85 minutes, Marine looked to have bagged a late winner when the ball bounced around in the six-yard box before Robert Threlfall fired into the net. But Nantwich would not be beaten, they surged forward and put Marine under pressure.

And it paid off when super sub Jones popped up in the 91st minutes to score a deserved equaliser.

Cooke’s shot in the 94th minute could have won it for the Dabbers, but it was comfortably saved by Hare.

Match report written by the Nantwich News