Report by Dan Jackson & images by Jonathan White
A narrow defeat against fellow strugglers Marine sees Nantwich continue to look for home win.
Tuesdays Northern Premier League tie against Marine saw Jacob Edwards and Jack Sherratt return to the starting line-up, and Harry Nevin make his debut, only hours after signing on loan from Preston North End.
A good start from The Dabbers saw the home team have plenty of possession in the opening stages. Wide-man James Plant providing some early attacking intent down the left, twice providing opportunities for Morrison who couldn’t convert his chances. The youngster continued to threaten and his powerful shot from left squirmed out of Bayleigh Passants hands and out for a corner. Sang kept the ball alive on the edge of the box from the resulting corner and Nevin managed a neat swivel shot which flew past the keeper, a dream debut for the centre back and a much-welcomed goal giving the home team a deserved lead.
The goal sparked The Mariners into life and chances soon came their way. Firstly, failure to clear a corner led to Hayden Campbell striking a rocket of a volley firmly against the home crossbar. That was followed by Djavan Pedro having a great chance from within the edge of the six-yard box only for Louis Gray to take one to the face but keeping the Nantwich goal in-tact. Moments later however, a swinging corner from the right landed nicely in front of Campbell to tap home for the equaliser, with just over five minutes of the half to play.
Marine continued to press and a fluffed clearance from Edwards gifted Marine another chance on goal, Gray again equal to it with a smart palm away from his goal. As the teams went in at half time, Nantwich had given a good account of themselves, but the goal had clearly taken the wind out of their sails.
Marine continued their late first-half momentum after the break and leapt into an early lead after a routine through ball broke the Nantwich defence, allowing Campbell to run on and chip the on-rushing Gray into an empty goal.
Nantwich reacted by staying in the game and the next fifteen minutes was a scrappy battle between both teams. The lively Morrison beat his man on the hour mark and got a decent shot away after cutting inside from the right, with the follow up by Sang also beaten away by the keeper.
A reshuffle at the back saw Bircumshaw shift into the middle and Lawton introduced as left-back, led to some neat passages of play down the left. Despite this, the home side struggled to create many more chances as Marine aimed to close out an evenly matched game. A-Jay had a late claim for a penalty denied, followed by an acrobatic overhead kick shoot over the bar.
Full time and whilst the home team can take positives from an encouraging debut for Nevin, and some promising phases of play, they continue to search for their next win.
Attendance: 335
Nantwich Town: Gray, Edwards (‘60 Lawton), Bircumshaw, Bourne, Nevin, Sherratt, Morrison, Scully, Sang (‘83 Williams), Leitch-Smith, Plant (‘68 Urvantev)
Subs not Used: Moran, Chiduka
Goals: Nevin ‘19
Marine AFC: Passant, Ferguson (‘45 Clark), Smith, Doyle, Wardle, Spittle, Weir, Lussey, Evans (‘75 Howarth), Pedro, Campbell (‘52 Adams)
Subs not Used: Barrigan, Dunne
Goals: Campbell ‘38, ‘47