Nantwich are safely through to the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Trophy after a 3-0 win over NPL East Liversedge.
Stretched with injuries and Troy Bourne serving a suspension, the Dabbers could only name four subs and had Mo and Ahmed Ali playing and right and left back, less familiar positions for both of them.
The Dabbers could have gone ahead after only 4 minutes, Nathan Okome flashing a header wide from a corner.
However, there wasn’t much of a wait as Nantwich took the lead 11 minutes in. Steven Hewitt played in AJ Leitch-Smith who calmly took the ball round the keeper and finished. It was great composure from AJ after a couple in recent games where he perhaps rushed the finish.
Nantwich continued to carry a threat but a couple of stoppages for injury and drinks in the searing heat allowed the home side to build momentum. A powerful shot across the face of goal was evidence of their growing threat, as was a low cross that somehow wasn’t finished.
But just as Liversedge were growing into the half, the Dabbers doubled the lead just before the break, a searching ball was nodded in by Callum Saunders ahead of the flailing Rogan Ravenhill who was on debut in goal on loan from Barnsley.
In the second half, the Dabbers struck early again with Saunders getting his second, finishing off a lovely flowing move that was assisted by Leitch-Smith. These were Saunders’ first goals since the FA Cup win over Skelmersdale.
Connor Heath, straight into the XI after returning on loan from Southport, had his own chance to bag but was denied by a decent save from Ravenhill.
Then Hewitt, having a great game after returning to the side, ambitiously fired over from very long range after seeing the keeper off his line.
The heat unsurprisingly began to wear both teams down and the result meant the quality of football towards the end did decline. A couple of off target efforts from Paddy Kay and Hewitt
In stoppage time, Scott Moloney had to make a couple of good saves to retain his clean sheet, including one brilliant reaction save to stop a header that looked all but past him, but in the end it was a comfortable and deserved win for Paul Carden’s side.
The Dabbers go through, then, to face another NPL East side, Dunston, at home in the Second Qualifying Round on 23rd September.
Teams
Liversedge: Rogan Ravenhill, Will Portman, Jack Hardacre, Dan Hartley, Ryan Toulson (Reon Potts, 17 (Shay Muirhead, 77)), Kurt Harris, Simon Heslop, Jack Stockdill, Jack Dyche (Lamin Jagne, 85), Basile Zottos, Alex Wollerton
Sub not used: Nicholas Walker
Nantwich Town: Scott Moloney, Mo Ali, Ahmed Ali, Steven Hewitt, Nathan Okome, Scott Butler, Connor Heath, Paddy Kay, Byron Harrison (Lewis Sinnott, 85), AJ Leitch-Smith (Jacob Edwards, 81), Callum Saunders
Subs not used: Joel Connolly, Perry Bircumshaw
Goals: Leitch-Smith (11), Saunders (45, 54)
Attendance: 247