Nantwich Town 2
Atherton Collieries 0
League (NPL Division 1 West)

Match Report

Nantwich Town made it 6 league home wins in a row with a 2-0 victory over Atherton Collieries at the Swansway Stadium.

Kai Evans returned from suspension and Matty Tweedley’s cameo from the bench at Clitheroe earned him a start here.

Nantwich took just 82 seconds to take the lead when Kai Evans’s cross sailed over the keeper and nestled in the far corner to the surprise of everyone, except maybe Evans himself.

The Dabbers had raced out of the blocks and came close to doubling the lead in the 9th minute. Tom Pratt played a through ball to Callum Saunders who beat the keeper to the ball, but his dinked effort was wide of the near post.

Kai Evans was causing havoc down the left side, he came close to getting his second of the game when he cut outside and fired a low ball into a dangerous area but the Atherton keeper did well to gather.

In the 27th minute, Evans came close again. This time the Welshman cut inside onto his left foot before curling an effort towards the far post, but it was wide of the upright.

Five minutes before the break, the visitors had their first effort of the game when Toba Obitano let fly from 35 yards but it was never troubling Ben Garratt in the Nantwich goal.

In the second half, Nantwich started on the front foot again and had the first half chance when a loose ball fell to Kelvin Mellor on the edge of the box but his effort was sliced wide of the goal.

Pratt and Saunders linked up well again in the 52nd minute as Saunders was played through on goal again. However, Sol Honor raced off his line and beat Saunders to the ball.

Five minutes later, Nantwich came close again when Pratt’s corner was met at the back post by an unmarked Kelvin Mellor, but his header was wide.

The Dabbers were pushing for an elusive second goal, Kai Evans showed great determination to race back and win the ball from the Atherton midfielder, his through ball then found Callum Saunders who couldn’t get past the onrushing keeper. Moments later, Tom Pratt’s deflected effort looped over the keeper and onto the roof of the net.

The visitors were restricted to long shots, Kielan Adams drove into the Dabbers half before slicing an effort from 25 yards.

In the 78th minute, second half sub Nathan Sandison came close with a free kick from a tight angle. His whipped effort whistled past the far post.

As we entered four minutes of added time despite Nantwich’s dominance, they were hanging on. Atherton worked an opening when Will Riding found Tom Bentham in acres of space down the right side. As Bentham got into the box Joel Connolly raced across to clear for a corner.

The points were wrapped up in the 93rd minute. Nathan Sandison raced in behind and saw his low effort saved by the keeper, but there was Byron Harrison to roll into an empty net to seal The Dabbers’ sixth home win in a row, the first time they’ve done that since 2013.

The next home game for Nantwich is against Vauxhall Motors on Saturday 14th December at 3pm.

Teams
Nantwich Town: Ben Garratt, James Melhado, Perry Bircumshaw (Joel Connolly, 80), Kelvin Mellor, Troy Bourne (C), Paddy Kennedy, Callum Saunders (Nathan Sandison, 72), Matty Tweedley (Courtney Meppen-Walters, 90+4), Byron Harrison, Tom Pratt (Joe Robbins, 90), Kai Evans (Ali Hayder, 90)

Goals: Evans (2), Harrison (90+4)

Atherton Collieries: Sol Honor, Toba Obitayo, Pa Babou Jenkins, Danny Lambert (Joe Edwards, 59), Danny Lafferty (Will Riding, 59), Calen Gallagher (C), Aaron Dwyer, Alex Doyle, Kielen Adams (Alfie Belcher, 73), Ethan Kershaw (Bobby Bjork, 59), Matty Bryan (Tom Bentham, 73)

Attendance: 418

Match report written by Jack Beresford (www.nantwichtownfc.com)