By Liam Price
Nantwich claimed their first win of the season with a strong 3-1 victory away at Hanley Town.
Under a rainbow in the first half and a red supermoon in the second, Jon Moran and Callum Saunders made their first starts of the season, while Gio Loureiro made his second debut after returning to the club following his successful loan at the end of last season.
It was so nearly the perfect start for the Dabbers, a move in the first 30 seconds ended with Saunders scooping the ball over the Hanley keeper Adam Whitehouse but off the top of the bar. With the timing and the type of shot it was almost a shot-for-shot remake of the opening for Chesterfield at Crewe Alex the previous weekend.
Hanley then immediately had their own chance to open the scoring as Jack Degruchy fired wide from a decent position. Just the two big opportunities to score inside the first minute.
Ben Garratt was on hand to push an effort over the bar as the shots continued to flow like a student bar on freshers week. Byron Harrison then had the ball in the net but was denied as the referee had spotted a foul on a Hanley player in the box.
Joel Connolly and Joshua Green traded attempts at goal but didn’t test either keeper. At the rate chances were being created, it felt a goal was arriving sooner rather than later, and it promptly did for Nantwich.
A free kick towards the left side of the box was whipped in by Cole Lonsdale for Saunders to rise highest and flick in a header for his first of the season and Nantwich’s first league goal of the campaign.
Hanley’s ill discipline would cost them dear again just minutes later. This time the foul was just outside the box and much more central, there was a shout for a red card for denial of a goalscoring opportunity but some potential covering defenders may have saved the player.
It didn’t really matter as Lonsdale stepped up and got it over the wall and in for his first Nantwich goal. Whitehouse didn’t move but that shouldn’t take away from the quality of the strike.
It got even better on 25 minutes. James Melhado charged down the right and pulled it back, Gio Loureiro got onto it on the edge of the box and picked his spot in the near side corner for only his second ever Nantwich goal and first since joining again this season. 3 goals in a blistering 6 minute spell had put the Dabbers in command.
Saunders could have made it 4 but squandered a great chance that slid wide. Connolly and Loureiro also forced Whitehouse into more action as Hanley looked desperate for the break.
After another Saunders shot was saved, the main downside of the half arrived as Kelvin Mellor was forced off with injury. The same was true for Connolly in the second half but the lead and the quality of the goals softened those blows for the time being.
The pattern of the second half was much quieter, as often happens a side with a big lead can find it hard to kick on again after the 15-minute gap.
Melhado tested Whitehouse again before Will Igoe miscued a decent opportunity for Hanley.
The Dabbers had another goal ruled out when Courtney Meppen-Walters was flagged offside after heading in. The free kick delivery from Lonsdale again was outstanding and deserved a goal.
Hanley did get a goal back of their own on 72 minutes. The ball was played in from the right and Degruchy got between two defenders to poke in from close range. The loss of the clean sheet was a minor blemish on what had been a strong defensive performance.
Byron Harrison became the second Dabber to strike the crossbar after a slick move that involved sub Tom Pratt who was on for his first league appearance for Nantwich.
A late flurry of chances could have made things even more comfortable for Paul Carden’s side but the most important thing was getting off the mark after a tough start in the league and cup and the Dabbers did that in style.
Teams
Hanley Town: Adam Whitehouse, Joshua Green, Louis Keenan, Marc Grocott, Joel Stair, Jake Moult, Will Igoe, Kyle Blake (Reece Jones, 56), Tom Pope, Jack Degruchy, Ollie Heywood
Subs not used: Ben Chapman, Timothy Sanders, Sam Turner, Tyrone Ofori
Goal: Degruchy (72)
Nantwich Town: Ben Garratt, James Melhado, Cole Lonsdale, Kelvin Mellor (Tom Reilly, 44), Courtney Meppen-Walters, Jon Moran, Joel Connolly (Tom Pratt, 73), Matthew Tweedley, Byron Harrison, Callum Saunders, Giovanni Loureiro (Eddie Servuts, 82)
Subs not used: Cheyenne Loureiro, James Speare
Goals: Saunders (18), Lonsdale (22), G.Loureiro (24)
Attendance: 184