By Oliver Shorland
The second fixture of a bumper Easter weekend for the Dabbers saw them succumb to a comprehensive 4-0 defeat to Witton Albion.
Gaffer Luke Goddard made three changes from the draw with Mossley, with Byron Moore, Joe Robbins, and Fenton Green making the starting lineup.
The opening exchanges of the match were marked by physicality from the opposition as Nantwich struggled to play their way into the game.
Witton Albion continued to dictate the play and nearly took the lead, but Freddy Garbutt was denied by a remarkable tackle from Paddy Kennedy, denying the visitors an opener.
However it wouldn’t be long until Witton Albion capitalised on their dominance, taking the lead just after the half-hour mark through Tom Hoyle, who poked the ball under Ben Garratt after collecting the onrushing forward in an attempt to smother the strike.
The Dabbers attempted to exploit the abundance of space in the wide areas, with most of the positive play in the first half coming through captain Joel Connolly, stinging the hands of Cameron Terry on two separate occasions.
Despite struggling to get a foothold in the game, Nantwich were gifted the chance to level things from almost nothing towards the end of the first half as Byron Harrison got the break of the ball only to roll his effort wide of the mark.
Albion would double their lead just two minutes after the break with a well worked free kick routine, teeing up Hoyle to drive it into the bottom corner for his second of the day.
A double substitution soon after for the Dabbers saw James Baille and Kelvin Mellor replace Ben Hockenhull and Paddy Kennedy respectively as the home side looked to find a way back into the game.
Nantwich’s opportunities to halve the deficit were few and far between, the best coming from James Baillie, who took the ball down well and beat his defender but sliced his effort into the side netting just past the hour mark.
Goddard’s men soon had an even bigger mountain to climb, however, as Joe Edwards then put Albion 3-0 up as with the ball seemingly glued to his foot, he sliced open the Nantwich back line to fire past Garratt.
With ten minutes to go, Hoyle nearly made it a hat-trick, but his effort was smothered by Garratt in the Nantwich goal.
Another chance soon followed as Edwards looked to pile on the goals, but his curled effort was sent just wide of the target.
Edwards wouldn’t miss a second time, though, as he doubled his tally for the day soon after to make it four as he was allowed to walk the ball into the back of the net.
Luke Goddard’s Nantwich side will now travel to take on league leaders Bury next Saturday.
Teams
Nantwich Town: Ben Garratt, Aidy Roxburgh, Byron Moore, Adam Rooney, Ben Hockenhull (James Baillie 53’), Paddy Kennedy (Kelvin Mellor 53’), Joe Robbins (Paddy Jarrett 66’), Joel Connolly (C) (Joe Collins 75’), Byron Harrison, Fenton Green (Joe Piggott 46’), Alex Panter
Witton Albion: Cameron Terry, Matthew Cook, Joel Bembo-Leta (C), Jimmy Lawrie, Geffry Ebhote, Ben Duffon-Kelly, Joe Edwards, Jacob Hamman (Ben Harrison 82’), Freddy Garbutt (Harry Woods 48’), Kyle King (Damola Sotona 79’), Tom Hoyle (Jack Hill 87’)
Substitutes not used: Tom Farrall
Goals: Hoyle 31’, 47’, J Edwards 69’, 85′
Attendance: 470