Dabbers out of the bottom four with emphatic win at Marine AFC
After a very spirited performance last time out against Bamber Bridge, but which ultimately led to defeat, manager Paul Carden was looking to change that against tough opponents Marine.
Carden decided to change his starting line up as Sean Cooke, Caspar Hughes, Perry Bircumshaw, Dylan Thompson and Connor Evans all made their way into the side.
There was bright sunshine to start the game, in what was very good conditions, with a packed Rossett Park to get the game underway.
If the Dabbers manager thought that this would make a change for the better, early on, then he was in for a bit of a shock, as it was the home side that started very much on the front foot.
With barely over two minutes on the clock, Sol Solomon was on hand to almost score from a Ben Hodkinson cross, but Tom Booth parried the shot, and Nathan Okome was there to clear away the danger.
Just a minute later, Booth was on hand yet again, to prevent what almost looked like a certain Marine goal to produce an unbelievable one handed save from a corner, and before Jonathan Spittle could tap the rebound in, the ball was cleared.
At this early stage, it looked like it was a matter of time before the hosts would open the scoring, however, there was one glimmer of hope, Connor Evans, as he ran almost the length of the pitch, to have a shot, that just went wide of Bayleigh Passant’s far post.
Another wonderful chance presented itself not too long after as Aidy Roxburgh ran down the wing, and his wonderful cross was met by Perry Bircumshow at the far post, and Passant was there to make the save.
The Dabbers manager was forced to make an early change as Jon Moran replaced Dylan Thompson. That change seemed to work to good effect, as the chances for Marine soon started to not be as plentiful.
The match was turning the visitors way, and Steven Hewitt was next to set up a chance as his ball into the box was met by Jon Moran, only for his close range header to just go over the bar.
With the clock just turning to the half hour mark, it was the Dabbers who struck first, as Aidy Roxburgh broke down the right hand side, before cutting the ball back to Sean Cooke, who took his time, steadied himself, before firing into the back of the net, to the delight of the travelling support.
That seemed to firmly put the game in the away side’s hands, as from another Roxburgh cross, Bircumshaw had yet another chance, but he saw his shot go just wide of the far post.
With Nantwich on top, and the home side looking a bit frustrated with how little they were creating, this allowed for the away side to play the game how they wanted it to be played.
This paid dividends as the ever willing, and ever fresh Connor Evans was hauled down in the box, with just five minutes remaining of the half, and this allowed for Byron Harrison to step up, and to smash the ball high into the top right hand corner.
That is how the half finished, with Nantwich two goals to the good.
Just as in the first half, Marine looked to come out of the traps fast, and to try to halve the deficit, and they very almost did so, as the ball found its way into the net, but thankfully for Nantwich the flag had been raised for offside. As the clock turned to show sixty minutes, Marine found themselves with another chance, as substitute Louis Britton managed to head the ball towards goal, but Booth was there to deny him, with a save low down to his left.
The hosts were looking to turn the screw, to try to find a way back into the game, and ex-Dabber Akiel Raffie almost did just that with a fantastic shot from the edge of the area, after he made room for a rocket of shot, but again, Booth was equal to it, and produced yet another fantastic save.
This seemed to totally deflate the hosts, as not too long after that, on seventy six minutes, from a wonderful through ball by Tom Scully, which released Connor Evans, he bamboozled the defender in front of him, and then very calmly slotted the ball under Passant to put the Dabbers three goals to the good.
This produced scenes of wild delight in the away support, and saw a lot of the home fans filing out of the stadium.
From there, and with some very good game management by the Dabbers, that is how the game finished, with a very good away win.
This was a game where all of the players played their part, where there were no weak links, everyone can come away with the head held very high indeed.
The next game for Nantwich is away to South Shields on the 8th of April.
Teams
Marine:
Bayleigh Passant, William Johnson, Joseph Bunney, Mark Howarth, Josh Wardle (c), Jonathan Spittle, Ben Hodkinson, Charley Doyle, Jordan Lussey, Sol Solomon, Lucas Weir.
Substitutes: Luke Clark, Sean Smith, Kyle Hayde, Louis Britton, Akiel Raffie.
Nantwich Town:
Tom Booth, Aidy Roxburgh, Perry Bircumshaw, Nathan Okome, Troy Bourne (c), Dylan Thompson, Stevie Hewitt, Caspar Hughes, Sean Cooke, Connor Evans, Byron Harrison.
Substitutes: Dan Cockerline, Tom Scully, Joel Connelly, Liam Humbles, Jon Moran
Attendance: 1,561