By Oliver Shorland
Nantwich Town picked up a point against Mossley AFC in a 1-1 draw at the Swansway Stadium.
The Dabbers made four changes from the side that fell to a 1-0 defeat to Sporting Khalsa with Aidy Roxburgh, Joe Robbins, Ben Greenop and Byron Moore all named in the starting side.
The first chance of the game fell to Alex Panter following a corner but was snatched wide of the target following a succession of half chances in the opening ten minutes for the Dabbers.
Just minutes later, Panter was then bundled over in the box with nothing given by the referee.
Mossley’s first real opportunity of the game was snatched at by Oumar Camara but well held by Ben Garratt in the Nantwich goal.
Mossley nearly then took the lead with a Perry Bircumshaw header practically clearing the ball off the line.
Half-way through the first half, Panter was brought down yet again with a free kick in a promising position fired well over the bar by Ben Greenop.
Kelvin Mellor then played in Greenop who couldn’t find the finish to break the deadlock.
Camara was soon at it again for Mossley as the ball was able to find its way to Reece Webb-Foster, who curled a smart first-time finish into the bottom right-hand corner.
Aidy Roxburgh was able to play in Panter with the ball eventually breaking for Byron Moore, who flashed a shot across the face of goal and wide.
The Lilywhites’ Obua Mugalula then found it his turn to test Garratt in the home goal, forcing him into a good save to his left-hand side.
Mugalula then probed the Nantwich goal again with a cheeky attempt just shy of the halfway line.
The Dabbers came flying out of the gates in the second half, scoring after just two minutes from a Ben Greenop header after a fantastic ball into the box from Joe Robbins. His first goal for the club was a reward for his tireless running which in the first half had been for very little.
As the second half continued, it was the Dabbers who were knocking on the door for a second, with Jon Moran’s side appearing full of energy as they sought to take the lead.
A double substitution for the Dabbers saw Byron Moore replaced by Byron Harrison and Joe Robbins off for Joel Connolly.
A lull from the home side saw Mossley with an opportunity to retake the lead, with a Joe Marrow cross headed wide by Camara.
Not long after, Mugalula teed up Joe Berks whose attempt was blocked with the score remaining level.
Greenop continued to cause the visitors problems, having his headed attempt saved just after the hour mark, before shrugging off a defender not long after but firing straight at Finlay Madigan in the Mossley goal.
More changes for the Dabbers on the 73rd minute saw Alex Panter replaced by Callum Saunders and Ben Greenop for Paddy Jarrett.
Saunders was keen to get in on the action straight away as he latched onto a Harrison flick on before sending his attempt wide of the mark.
Harrison was once again able to knock the ball on, this time for Bircumshaw, whose shot was once again straight at Madigan with 10 minutes to go.
A final change for the Dabbers saw captain Kelvin Mellor depart for Paddy Kennedy.
A late flurry ensued for Jon Moran’s side as Saunders looked to break the deadlock but his attempt rippled the side netting.
Saunders was then at it again, this time spearheading a Nantwich counter-attack, forcing Madigan into action.
Mossley looked to reply to the Dabbers’ late attacking threat but Webb-Foster could only fire straight into the grateful hands of Garratt with four minutes of added time gone.
In the final exchanges of the match Saunders was involved in a footrace with Madigan but the two collided, meaning the shares were spoiled at the Swansway.
TEAMS
Nantwich Town: Ben Garratt, Aidy Roxburgh, Perry Bircumshaw, Kelvin Mellor (C) (Paddy Kennedy 81’), Ben Hockenhull, Josh Williams, Alex Panter (Callum Saunders 73’), Joe Robbins (Joel Connolly 63’), Ben Greenop (Paddy Jarrett 73’), Fenton Green, Byron Moore (Byron Harrison 63’)
Goal: Greenop (47’)
Mossley AFC: Finlay Madigan, Jack Marrow, Jack Grundy, George Milner, Mark Lees (C) (Adam Sherratt 36’), Mateusz Kardacz (Sean Kgwakgwa 50’), Joe Berks (William Shepherd 72’), Isaac Graham, Oumar Camara, Reece Webb Foster, Obua Mugalula (Guilherme Baltazar 49’)
Unused substitute: Gedeao Varela
Goal: Webb-Foster (39’)
Attendance: 451