Shifnal Town 1
Nantwich Town 2
FA Cup (1st Round Qualifying replay)

Match Report

Manager Paul Carden looked to switch things up with his team, to try to put Shifnal on the back foot from the get go.

It very almost worked as after barely 20 seconds AJ Leitch-Smith pounced on a poor goal kick from Colley in the home goal, but his shot was straight at the goalkeeper. An early warning of what was to come.

It was the away side that were on top for the most of the first half hour, as Troy Bourne and Nathan Okome both saw headers from corners go just over the bar.

The chances for the home side kept on coming, Ahmed Ali saw his shot well saved, and so did Leitch-Smith once again.

Colley in the home goal was putting on a man of the match display, and he was making sure that nothing was getting past him.

Kai Evans was trying his best to keep the tempo and momentum in the favour of the Dabbers, and he was unlucky to not have a penalty go his way, as was Caspar Hughes, who put in a cross, only for it to be deflected away, off of a home side defenders arm.

The pressure was building, and Byron Harrison was next to see his turn and shot pushed away by Colley.

It seemed like only a matter of time until Nantwich broke the deadlock before half time.

However, despite all of the domination of possession and the chances, there was no break-through, and the sides went in level at half-time.

As the second half started, it seemed as if the break was what the home side needed, as they came out a completely different side.

They had a succession of corners, to really put the pressure on the away side’s defence.

Just before the hour mark, the all important breakthrough happened, and in unbelievable and spectacular style.

Joe Cuff for Shifnal, picked a lovely pass back up, just near the half way line, and he looked up, and under no pressure, he calmly struck a powerful shot past Moloney, who was off of his line, but even so, it was a shot worthy to win any game.

That seemed to stir Nantwich into life, for the threat of going out of the FA Cup at such an early stage must have been a huge motivation for the team.

It was this surge in momentum that brought them the equalising goal not too long after.

From good build up play, AJ Leitch-Smith found himself free in the penalty area, and he struck a thunderbolt of a shot, to the delight of the travelling fans.

From this moment on, it looked as if Nantwich were the most likely side to get another goal, as Shifnal looked happy enough to play for extra time.

It seemed though, as if Shifnal might get their way, but then deep into added on time, Byron Harrison rose like a salmon, and headed a cross into the back of the net, and the Dabbers had taken the lead.

After a good period of time management by the Nantwich players, that is how the game finished, with the away side winning, and progressing to the next round to face Banbury United.

Shifnal Town:
Yakuba Colley, Jack Fishman, Jordan Jones, Jack Howse, Emen Jones, Reuben Lal, Joe Kenton, Evan Bagry, Joe Cuff, Kyle Bennett, Kane Lewis.
Substitutes: Thomas, Williams, Greer, Buckley, Jarman, Hodnett, Tanomjit.

Nantwich Town:
Scott Moloney, Caspar Hughes, Perry Bicumshaw, Nathan Okome, Troy Bourne (C), Scott Butler, Paddy Kay, Ahmed Ali, Byron Harrison, AJ Leitch-Smith, Kai Evans.
Substitutes: M. Ali, Saunders, Edwards, Sinnott, Holden.

Match report written by www.nantwichtownfc.co.uk