Words by Dan Jackson, photo by Desmond Evans
The Dabbers succumbed to a late sucker punch as Guiseley claimed a dramatic 1-0 win on Saturday at the Swansway Stadium.
The starting line-up saw manager Dave Cooke make two changes to the team that started the previous two matches. Joe Robbins was a forced omission following his red card from the opening game of the season away at Lancaster City, and Jack Sherratt replaced Caspar Hughes.
As Nantwich kicked off the wind kicked up too. With the ball hanging in the air and goal kicks often being stopped in their tracks along the half-way line, it was clear the weather was going to be an adversary for both teams all game.
Guiseley looked the most lively in the opening stages with two chances in the first five minutes. The Swansway Stadium let out a sigh of relief in the second minute as a dangerous low cross was played across the face of the goal only for it to be just behind Guiseley’s Andy Kellet, preventing a clear tap in.
The familiar John Johnston also had a low shot saved by Louis Gray in the fifth. Early signs of a lively game soon petered out though as the game became scrappy and the two sides began to cancel each other out.
Ritchie Sutton was forced off through injury just before the thirty-minute mark, which led to a reshuffle at the back. Troy Bourne moved inside to centre-half and Perry Bircumshaw came on to make his debut at left back. It was almost a nightmare start for him though as his back pass looked to be short, encouraging the on-rushing Johnston, but Gray was quick off his line to clear.
An early substitution in the second half saw Bell come on for Connor Heath which provided more stability on the ball, but the game continued to offer up little in the way of chances.
It wasn’t until the final twenty minutes that we saw some real opportunities materialise, the first being a goal mouth scramble in the Nantwich box following a corner swung in from the left which led to Ible, Johnston and Greaves taking shots. Fortunately, a double save from Gray and some desperate defending meant that The Dabbers goal remained intact and Bourne could clear the ball to safety.
Cockerline had a couple of missed chances before Grant ran at the Guiseley left-back and fired a promising cross across the box only for Joe Mwasile to fire wide in what should have been an 85th minute winner.
Nantwich were left to rue that chance when in added time Guiseley substitute Lewis Hey curled his effort into the bottom left corner, sparking wild scenes from the West Yorkshire team and bench.
A second win of the season for Guiseley leaves Nantwich Town with two points from nine and lots to do going into their next fixture, away at FC United on Tuesday 23rd August.
Teams:
NANTWICH TOWN: LOUIS GRAY, JOEL STAIR (C), TROY BOURNE, JON MORAN, RITCHIE SUTTON (’27 BIRCUMSHAW), JACK SHERRATTT, AJ LEITCH-SMITH (’73 MWASILE), CONNOR HEATH (’55 BELL), DAN COCKERLINE, SEAN COOKE, JOEL GRANT
Subs not Used: CASTELLANO, EDWARDS
GUISELEY AFC: KYEL TRENERRY, ETHAN VAUGHAN, GEORGE SMITH (C), LUKE DEAN, JAMEEL IBLE, SPENCER HARRIS, JOHN JOHNSTON, CHARLIE WOOD, JAKE CASSIDY (’73 GREAVES), ADAM HAW (’60 CHIMALILO), ANDY KELLET (’79 HEY)
Subs not Used: CARTWRIGHT, MALONEY
Attendance: 364