Written by Adam Bateman, photos by Jonathan White
Nantwich Town made it back-to-back wins for the first time since early December with a 1-0 triumph over Gainsborough Trinity at the Dave Longstaff Martin & Co Arena.
The home side came into this game unbeaten in 7 and having won their last 3 while the Dabbers were looking to build on the previous week’s win against Lancaster City.
In overcast conditions, the game kicked off, and almost within the first 20 seconds the Dabbers had a chance to take the lead, as Byron Harrison’s looped shot was fumbled by the home side’s goalkeeper Matt Yates and Tom Scully saw his goal bound shot blocked.
Nantwich started very much on the front foot, and were looking to take the game to their hosts.
The next person to try his luck on the home side’s goal was Perry Bircumshaw, as he showed his determination to win a fifty-fifty ball, but only to fire his shot straight at Yates.
Nantwich were looking the more likely to score at this early stage in the game, and that must have pleased manager Paul Carden, seeing his game plan come to fruition.
The roll call of people having chances at Yates grew longer with less than fifteen minutes on the clock, as from a Steven Hewitt free-kick, Connor Evans had a shot that evaded a few home defenders, but Yates managed to smother the shot.
With twenty minutes on the clock, Jon Moran had a header from a corner delivered by the excellent Hewitt that just went over the bar, this was a very good spell by the away side.
As the game went on Hewitt was showing his class, and he was stamping his authority on the game, and indeed it was him who had the next chance, but his shot on his left foot went just wide.
Just before the half hour mark, it was that man again, Hewitt, who saw his half volley go wide of Yates’s post, this was fast becoming Nantwich’s half, it was just a case of would they live to regret all of these missed chances?
The best chance of the game came in the thirty seventh minute, as Aidy Roxburgh put in a wonderful cross from the right hand side, and Byron Harrison timed his run perfectly, but his glancing header went agonisingly wide of the far post.
At the other end, they almost were made to pay for their lapses in front of goal, as Clayton Donaldson shot straight at Tom Booth, much to the relief of the away fans.
Towards the end of the half, the home side looked to have come into the game a bit more, as Harry Lewis was almost in on the Dabbers goal, but for a wonderful bit of defensive play by Nathan Okome, who blocked his shot.
Right before half time, it was Nantwich who had the last chance, as Connor Evans’ pace put the home side’s goalkeeper Yates on the back foot, his pull back found Jack Sherratt, but he get ever so slightly under the shot, and it went over the bar.
A good half by the away side, just missing the final touch of a goal, could that change in the second half, as the sides went in goalless.
From the start of the second half it was Gainsborough who came out of the traps the quickest, and looked to impose themselves on the game in a much more meaningful way than they had in the first half.
It was Donaldson who found himself in behind the Dabbers’ defence, one on one with Booth, but his shot was well saved by Booth, as he spread himself well, and the ball hit his legs.
Just before the hour mark, Nantwich very nearly paid for all of their misses in the first half, as a complete mix up at the back allowed Donaldson to shoot past Booth, into what seemed an empty net, but seemingly out of nowhere his shot was cleared off of the line by Perry Bircumshaw, to a roar from the away side’s fans, and bewilderment from the home fans.
Nantwich were very much on the back foot here, and on the stroke of the hour mark, the much more influential Donaldson saw his close range free-kick tipped over the bar by Booth, who also made a sprawling save from George Hornshaw.
This match was very much in the balance, and could go either way at this stage.
Nantwich looked to their talisman, Hewitt, to try to change things, as he saw his shot from distance go past Yates’ post.
Into the final twenty minutes and it was still goalless, with both sides looking to change that.
Gainsborough looked to their main man, Donaldson to break the deadlock, as he had a completely free header, but he managed to put it straight at Booth.
From there, Nantwich tried to get back into the game, as from a Byron Harrison flick on Connor Evans had a shot, but Yates was there to prevent it going into the back of the net.
Just a few minutes later, in the seventy fifth minute, the moment that changed the whole game happened, as another looping ball was met by Byron Harrison who managed to get to the ball just before Yates, his shot was cleared off of the line, but who else was there on the rebound to put the ball into the net, but Steven Hewitt, to set off wild celebrations in the away end, as he gave Nantwich a much deserved and much needed lead with his 4th goal in his last 5 games.
From there with the clock ticking down, Gainsborough tried to get back into the game, and put pressure on the away side, but the away sides’ defence held firm, right up until the sixth minute of injury time, when a mix up at the back, saw Tom Booth penalised for hand ball out side of his area, to give the home side one last chance to find an equaliser.
The resulting free-kick saw that elusive last chance for the home side, but their shot went wide, and that sparked wild scenes as the final whistle was blown just after, as Nantwich held on for the vital three points, as they won one-nil.
Nantwich are next in action at the Swansway Stadium against Bamber Bridge on the 25th March 2023.
Teams
Gainsborough Trinity:
Matt Yates, George Hornshaw, Joe West, Andrew Wright © (Fraser Preston, 62), Isaac Wright, Dylan Cogill, Curtis Durose, Bailey Conway (Tyrell Sellars-Fleming, 79), Clayton Donaldson, Liam Waldock, Harry Lewis (Luther Munakandafa, 83).
Subs not used: Jack Dyche, Hayden Cann
Nantwich Town:
Tom Booth, Aidan Roxburugh, Perry Bircumshaw (Ivan Urvantev, 89), Nathan Okome, Jon Moran, Troy Bourne ©, Jack Sherratt (Joel Connolly, 89), Tom Scully, Connor Evans (Dan Cockerline, 85), Steven Hewitt, Byron Harrison.
Subs not used: Mwiya Malumo, James Speare
Goal: Hewitt (75)
Attendance: 706