Photos by Jonathan White
Nantwich suffered late heartbreak as Chester scored a 94th minute winner to progress in the FA Cup at the Deva Stadium.
A largely uneventful first half gave way to a stronger home showing in the second but a spirited Nantwich comeback in a thrilling last 15 minutes.
The Dabbers were unchanged for the third game in a row and made a solid start. Elliott Whitehouse headed wide before Kai Evans curled a cross come shot that didn’t cause any danger.
The home crowd were getting noticeably frustrated, partly at some of the loose passing from their side, and partly at the indecisiveness of the near side assistant referee (more on him later).
Former Dabber Connor Evans headed straight at Scott Moloney before a better chance for both sides.
Steven Hewitt, who isn’t afraid to shoot from range if it opens up for him, did so here and drilled it not too far wide.
Then at the other end, Chester’s captain George Glendon saw a shot from the edge of the box take a heavy deflection and just go past the post, Moloney was well and truly wrongfooted.
Early in the second half, good work in tight space from Hewitt and Paddy Kay ended up with Kay bending wide off his right foot.
The Seals had a noticeably strong bench and used it to good effect early in the half, particularly when Kieran Coates came on. He created another opportunity for Glendon who again had a shot narrowly miss the target, before a scramble at the corner saw Moloney eventually claim.
They were getting closer, somehow not going ahead when a ball across the face of goal wasn’t turned in.
Kai Evans bent over the crossbar as Nantwich tried to respond to the pressure, but still it built. Kevin Roberts struck well from the edge of the box and a slight nick carried it wide of Moloney’s far post.
Okome sliced over his own bar via a touch from Moloney for another corner, from which Chester took the lead. It was met with a flying header from Harrison Burke which was what their improved performance had merited.
But Nantwich hit back. Paul Carden switched formation to shackle Coates and brought on Connor Heath on 78 minutes.
On 82 minutes, Charlie Caton hit the side netting when he might have doubled the lead.
Then, on 84 minutes, Heath equalised. Ahmed Ali on the left edge of the box stood the ball up to the back post for Heath to head magnificently past Wyll Stanway, who got plenty on it but simply couldn’t keep it out for the power. Cue delirium among the fantastic travelling Dabbers supporters.
Suddenly, it was the Dabbers who looked the most likely to win it. Heath found himself in space on the right side of the box and drew a good save out of Stanway with his legs.
Byron Harrison headed over, then Heath was almost put through again but the ball just ran away from him.
At the other end came the crucial moment. A scramble in the box saw the ball squirm behind. Goal kick, corner, offside against a player who was involved but didn’t touch it were the claims. Eyes turned to that assistant again, who once more inexplicably did not make a decision and left it to the referee. Throughout, it was a staggering dereliction of duty that harmed both teams, not only rendering his own place in the game pointless but making the referee’s job significantly harder.
A corner was given, by the referee. And it provided the winning goal, after not quite being cleared it dropped for Caton to slam in in the final of the 4 added minutes.
The end of the cup run for the Dabbers, then. But a run full of brilliant moments, the late winner in the replay at Shifnal, the performance and team goal against Banbury and the elation of Heath’s equaliser here when those with green hearts could dare to dream once more.
Teams
Chester FC: Wyll Stanway, Joel Taylor, Declan Weeks, Harrison Burke, Matty Williams, George Glendon, Elliott Whitehouse, Connor Evans (Adam Thomas, 45), Tom Sparrow (Kieran Coates, 58), Kevin Roberts, Frankie Maguire (Charlie Caton, 66)
Subs not used: Billy Davies, Reece Daly, Ollie Heywood
Goals: Burke (75), Caton (90+4)
Nantwich Town: Scott Moloney, Joel Connolly, Perry Bircumshaw (Connor Heath, 78), Nathan Okome, Troy Bourne, Scott Butler, Steven Hewitt, Ahmed Ali, Byron Harrison, Kai Evans, Paddy Kay
Subs not used: Dylan Thompson, James Speare, Mo Ali, Jacob Edwards, Lewis Sinnott, Ollie Holden
Goal: Heath (84)
Attendance: 2,162