By Liam Price, photo by Jonathan White
After a great start in the league, the Dabbers turn attention to the FA Cup as we start in the Preliminary Round against Charnock Richard on Saturday (3pm kick-off).
It’s a Char-nock Life
Charnock Richard play in the North West Counties Premier (1 tier below Nantwich). They have already won a game in the FA Cup to get to this stage, beating Burscough 1-0 at home on 2nd August.
Their league season started even before that, and they have won 2 and lost 2 of their 4 games so far. They followed up their cup win with a 5-3 defeat to Irlam but then a 4-0 win over Pilkington in midweek, in what was described on their social media as ‘a fantastic performance by every player on the pitch.’ They’ve also won a league game 5-0, making it 13 goals scored in their last 4 games in all competitions.
It’s a first ever competitive meeting between the two sides. Based at Mossie Park and originally formed in 1933, they spent most of their history in the West Lancashire league before reaching the North West Counties system in 2016 and promptly winning promotion to the Premier in 2017, where they’ve remained ever since. They finished 12th in that division last season but won the Macron Cup (league challenge cup) by beating Stafford Town.
It’s rare for the Dabbers to face another team who play in green (especially one that isn’t from Northwich) but that is the case for Saturday, so Charnock will be in their away light blue kit.
Players to Watch
There is at least one former Dabber in the Charnock squad in Sky Sinclair. He played 4 games on loan at Nantwich in the 2021/22 season while a Blackpool player.
They have a very experienced head in their back line in Gaz Peet. Previously at Bury, he’s best known for his long and successful period at Atherton Collieries, where he played over 300 times.
The number 9 is likely to be Fenton Davies, who already has 4 goals to his name this season as well as a pair of Man of the Match awards.
Match Information
Tickets for this one are available online HERE or on the gate with cash and card.
Dogs are allowed as long as they are kept on a lead.
Pre-order half-time drinks at the bar before the game to avoid the queues!
Again we ask to be careful with parking and avoid parking on the road that leads into the housing estate. This is the last scheduled home game with the disrupted parking space due to Network Rail’s work in the area.