By Liam Price, photos by Jonathan White
Crewe Alex defeated Nantwich Town 2-1 at the Swansway Stadium to advance to the final of the Cheshire Senior Cup.
There were at least half a dozen former Crewe players in the Nantwich squad, meanwhile the Alex perhaps unexpectedly brought a few first teamers including former Dabbers loanee Tom Booth who captained the side.
The Alex struck inside the first 5 minutes. A good ball through by Louis Moult found Luca Moore on the right side of the penalty area, and he fired a low shot well out of reach of Ben Garratt and into the bottom corner.
It was Moore who was the main source of danger throughout the first half, his policy seemingly ‘shoot on sight’ and it nearly paid off again were it not for blocks from Paddy Kennedy and Ben Hockenhull.
Alex Panter got the better of the Alex defence and fired wide of Booth’s far post; Panter didn’t catch the shot anywhere like how he’d have liked.
Garratt was sharp to come off his line to get to the ball ahead of Louis Moult who had been sprung in behind.
Paddy Jarrett saw a low shot blocked in the box after it broke to him near the penalty spot.
A couple of ricochets in the Crewe box kept Booth on his toes late on but he was more than up to the task.
Nantwich were caught early once again in the second half. It was only the 48th minute when Moore got another shot away on the edge of the box, a slight deflection made it a harder save for Garratt and he could only palm out rather than away, where Dion Rankine was quickest to react and put away the rebound.
This time, though, Nantwich were able to hit back quickly, and in some style. From his own half, Panter went off on a charging run into the green space that had opened up in front of him; he was held up on the edge of the box but used some quick feet to find room for a shot which he squeezed in under Booth who almost kept it out.
Panter has scored some great goals this season but none like that; he really is proving himself an all-round forward even against opposition of the quality of Crewe.
He hit the side netting a couple of minutes later as Nantwich tried to press home this sudden switch of momentum.
A counter attack from Nantwich briefly saw them 3v2 with Jarrett putting the ball into the path of Byron Harrison, who first time curled low and at Booth.
James Baillie stood over a free kick on the edge of the box and sent it low towards the far corner; it didn’t look like it was heading in but Booth took no chances and touched it behind.
Owen Taylor fired off target for the Alex but Nantwich were still on top and had a pair of great chances to level it.
Byron Moore got across his man in the box to get a shot away which Booth did well to block, but only out to Joe Collins who got just a bit too much under his shot which bounced off the top of the crossbar. 10% less power and that would have been 2-2.
There was the feeling watching that moment that it would be the best chance to potentially take the tie to penalties and that was how it turned out; except for an off-target shot from Fenton Green, Crewe held on and made it to the final, where they’ll have the chance to win the Cheshire Cup for the first time in 9 years.
Bigger than that, though, is a hope that perhaps this game continues an improvement in the relations between the two clubs, which had cooled in recent years. Some say it was because of Nantwich’s switch to a synthetic surface, some say because of perceived rough treatment in the most recent pre-season friendly that resulted in an injury to Crewe’s Chris Long, and some say because of the toing-and-froing of the Tom Booth loan to the Dabbers. But all of those things were in 2022 or 2023, and the links between the two clubs, whether on the pitch or in the boardroom, remain unavoidable and should be embraced.
Teams
Nantwich Town: Ben Garratt, Aidy Roxburgh, James Baillie, Joe Robbins (Joe Collins, 68), Ben Hockenhull, Paddy Kennedy, Alex Panter, Joel Connolly (C), Byron Harrison (Callum Saunders, 68), Paddy Jarrett (Fenton Green, 68), Byron Moore
Subs not used: Tom Horton, Reece Vaughan
Goal: Panter (50)
Crewe Alexandra: Tom Booth (C), Stan Dancey, Charlie Finney (Joel Ewusi, 69), Oliver Armstrong (Noah Bell, 81), Isaac Irwin, Tom Graves, Dion Rankine, Owen Taylor, Louis Moult (Lucas Swann, 72), Luca Moore, Noah Pinder (Ryan Chadwick, 61)
Sub not used: Ayden Thorpe
Goals: Moore (5), Rankine (48)
Attendance: 683