Darlaston Town 1874 1
Nantwich Town 1
League (NPL Division 1 West)

Match Report

There were several changes from the defeat to Lower Breck. Most of these came because of injuries, namely to Kelvin Mellor, Fenton Green, Perry Bircumshaw and Josh Williams.

Oli Finney made his second Nantwich debut and was a positive presence in the midfield, a free kick from him was headed wide by Ben Hockenhull and a cross/shot was parried away by Stan Amos.

Darlaston threatened very little in the early stages apart from a shot on the turn after a melee at a corner which went onto the roof of the net.

The Dabbers’ best chance of the half came when Harry Bower made a good run down the left and pulled it back to Finney, whose first time shot was well saved by Amos as it threatened to curl away from him.

5 minutes after this, the home side took the lead. It came down the Dabbers left, where Joel Connolly was playing in a less familiar position of left back and also in a back 4, a rarity in recent months under Jon Moran but necessitated by those injuries.

The cross from that side came through a lot of bodies and was finished by Kieran Cook, who got there ahead of his man. Cook left Darlaston last summer after being their top scorer in the NPL Midlands; after only returning this week he was given the captain’s armband which says a lot about the esteem he is held in at the club. It should also be said he was unlucky to be denied a penalty earlier in the half.

They might have scored a second in very similar fashion moments later. Again it was a cross from their right and again it was an attempt at the back post; this one was put wide.

In the second half, Nantwich were much improved with some changes off the bench helping matters, most notably Byron Harrison who was on at half time. His ability to hold the ball up and occupy defenders remains unmatched in the Nantwich squad and possibly the entire NPL West. Other new signings James Baillie and Joe Collins also made their Dabbers bows in the second period.

A Darlaston shot was sliced over the bar before a long distance effort by another sub, Byron Moore, was held by Amos eventually.

Callum Saunders was brilliantly denied by a challenge as he threatened to run through on goal.

The Dabbers had the ball in the net in the 70th minute, but a foul on the goalkeeper was given. It looked a borderline decision; perhaps that balanced out the penalty call for Darlo in the first half.

But the Dabbers did equalise for real with just over 15 minutes to go when Alex Panter snuck in behind and finished low past Amos. It was a smart finish from an ever narrowing angle as the goals continue to flow for him.

Finney missed the target with another shot as all the momentum appeared to be with the away side.

But Darlaston had two decent chances in the last 5 minutes to win it for themselves, one flashing wide and another clearing the crossbar when it looked easier to score.

The action wasn’t over yet. The Dabbers might have won it through Panter again but Amos this time was up to the task and smothered his effort, ensuring the points were shared.

Darlaston Town: Stan Amos, Bailey Storey, Karsten Cairns, Billy Corns, Jordan Spragg, Roman Allen, Callum Knowles (Jimmy Richardson, 68), Ollie West, Jake Collins, Jake Pearson, Kieran Cook (C)
Subs not used: Harry Chesterton, James Rowland, Leo Gill, Jack Downing
Goal: Cook (41)

Nantwich Town: Ben Garratt, Aidy Roxburgh, Joel Connolly (C), Oli Finney, Ben Hockenhull, Paddy Kennedy, Harry Bower (Byron Harrison, 46), Joe Robbins (James Baillie, 58), Alex Panter, Paddy Jarrett (Callum Saunders, 58), Byron Moore (Joe Collins, 88)
Sub not used: Rui Clarke-Phillips
Goal: Panter (74)

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