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

Match Report

With just over 48 hours recovery time from Saturday’s win over Congleton, the Dabbers rotated with 4 changes, starting Paddy Kennedy, Joe Robbins, Callum Saunders and Byron Harrison. Atherton had 3 days extra rest after their game on Saturday was postponed.

In this fixture last season, Atherton scored within 15 seconds of kick off of a half, and they attempted to do the same from the start here, but it was quickly snuffed out.

There was a crunching and quite high tackle on Joel Connolly by Sam Sheridan in the first 4 minutes, which was met with a booking. It’s a cliche that referees subconsciously don’t like giving sendings off early in games but there was an argument for that being the case here.

Former Dabber Joe Piggott flicked an effort towards goal that was straight at Ben Garratt. He was later denied by a terrific block by the returning Kennedy.

Garratt made a couple more straightforward saves in what was a bright spell for the Colls, one of them from Rodney Ajayi.

Jack Dallimore made a save from a Dabbers corner from what was an accurate but weak header. He then watched a Callum Saunders dipping free kick go narrowly over his crossbar.

The biggest moment of the first period came in the 32nd minute. Ben Hockenhull, who has not put a foot wrong for the majority of the season, seemed to lose the flight of a high ball in the floodlights and it came off the back of his head as he leapt for it, allowing Piggott to run in behind. Garratt charged off his line and brought him down, earning himself a booking and Atherton a penalty.

Chinedu Uche sent the spot kick right into the side netting, rendering it unsaveable even though Garratt went the right way.

There were flashes of openings as the half came to its conclusion, but Atherton had done a great job of being horrible to play against, which is meant as a compliment, they are among the best at it in the NPL West.

And they did strike early in the second half. About a minute and 50 seconds in a ball dropped to the edge of the box where Ajayi had far too much time to fire past Garratt to make it 2-0.

This sparked what will go down as one of the craziest 20 or so minutes of football Nantwich will be involved in all season. Rather than the heads going down the Dabbers put together arguably their best period of attacking play of the entire season, albeit with nothing to show for it.

But it wasn’t for the want of trying. Josh Williams was the first, curling a terrific free kick off the angle of post and bar; it looked an unlikely angle to shoot from but he very nearly pulled it off.

Just a minute later, Callum Saunders hit the crossbar with a left footed strike. Neither player had done much wrong with their efforts and would have deserved the goals had they gone in.

It was now a massively open game and Atherton played their part in this. They thought they’d scored a third goal but the offside flag, that was a little late, denied them.

Sonny Reeves forced Garratt into a low save, but it was quickly time for the Dabbers onslaught to continue.

A shot bounced into a crowd of bodies in the Colls box, and they were able to clear as Kelvin Mellor recycled it back towards goal.

Then the third woodwork hit came from the Dabbers. A good strike from Paddy Kennedy from another Dabbers set piece rattled the upright. The third hit in 10 minutes and you could scarcely believe what you were watching.

Panter put another presentable chance over the bar as the home goal continued to live a charmed life. There are no expected goals numbers in the 8th tier but if there were they would have been high for Nantwich in the second half.

Not wanting to be left out, Atherton hit the post themselves a few minutes later. Anyone at the ground on Monday will do well to see more than 4 woodwork hits in any half of football anywhere for the rest of the season.

Another twist came in the 68th minute. Tom Warren was shown a second yellow card for Atherton for delaying the restart, or kicking the ball away in layman’s terms. It was hard to see from the far side and even the home bench had to double check that it had actually happened.

It had been relentless from Nantwich even before this and it continued after the home side were down to 10. The ball was put across the face of goal then cleared off the line with Williams involved again.

There were blocks, tackles and clearances galore from the home side, who seemed to relish this rearguard action. They will be in play-off contention this season.

Dallimore made a couple of simple saves from a Connolly free kick and Harrison as they maintained their clean sheet. That’s 4 defeats in 5 at Atherton for Nantwich now, the definition of a bogey ground.

Atherton Collieries: Jack Dallimore, Ben Rydel, Tom Warren, Luke Nock, Alex Doyle, Niall Battersby, Sonny Reeves (Calen Gallagher-Allison, 87), Sam Sheridan (Javid Swaby-Neavin, 62), Joe Piggott (C), Rodney Ajayi, Chinedu Uche (Dominic Richmond, 87)
Subs not used: Kier Barry, Cole Hyde
Goals: Uche (33, pen), Ajayi (47)
Red card: Warren (68)

Nantwich Town: Ben Garratt, Aidy Roxburgh, Josh Williams, Kelvin Mellor (C), Ben Hockenhull (Paddy Jarrett, 85), Alex Panter, Joe Robbins (Fenton Green, 70), Byron Harrison, Joel Connolly, Callum Saunders, Paddy Kennedy (Harry Bower, 60)
Subs not used: Junior Brown, Perry Bircumshaw

Attendance: 204

Match report written by Liam Price (www.nantwichtownfc.co.uk)