By Liam Price, photo by Staci Hocknell
League leaders Lower Breck put Nantwich Town to the sword with a 4-1 win at the Swansway Stadium.
Nantwich were unchanged from the win over Vauxhall in midweek, with Callum Saunders returning on the bench.
Alex Panter and Paddy Kennedy had decent chances to put Nantwich ahead early on but Theo Roberts saved both.
The visitors took the lead in the 17th minute. A giveaway in midfield was pounced upon and Lewis Buckley put away the simplest of finishes.
There were a couple of moments that Nantwich fans were talking about after the game. The first came when Fenton Green was booked for simulation after going down in the box. It later transpired that he’d gone down due to suffering an apparent muscle injury rather than trying to win a spot kick. He limped off shortly after.
Breck were strong and they were fast, a simple combination that has made them the class of the division.
Sam Burns typified this more than anyone and, after spurning a couple of efforts, put one away to make it 2-0 on 37 minutes.
Panter halved the deficit in stoppage time with a low finish then almost equalised right on half time with a diving header. His 8th of the season and so nearly a 9th, a good way to mark his recently announced new contract.
But in the second half, Breck once again held the Dabbers at arm’s length.
Burns sent a swerving effort into the far corner to make it 3-1 just 4 minutes into the second period, killing any momentum from the end of the first half for Jon Moran’s side.
The second talking point came when Harry McGee was booked for a challenge on Kelvin Mellor. Mellor had to be replaced with injury and the suggestion was it may well have been a red card. But it has to be stressed that neither of those moments would have changed the outcome.
Burns completed his hat trick with just over 10 minutes to go as he led and finished yet another swift brakeaway. A product of the Blackburn Rovers academy, you could see that ability out there from the earliest stages.
Roberts again was alert to deny Paddy Jarrett and Harry Bower as Lower Breck continue to look almost unstoppable. Breck and Bury were the top 2 in the North West Counties Premier last season and may well repeat the trick in the NPL West.
Teams
Nantwich Town: Ben Garratt, Aidy Roxburgh, Perry Bircumshaw (Josh Williams, 46), Kelvin Mellor (C) (Callum Saunders, 76), Ben Hockenhull, Paddy Kennedy, Joe Robbins, Fenton Green (Paddy Jarrett, 27), Byron Harrison (Harry Bower, 80), Joel Connolly (Byron Moore, 64), Alex Panter
Goal: Panter (45+1)
Lower Breck: Theo Roberts, Michael Fitzgerald, Dan Lowey, Frazer Cookson, Tom Mitchell, Connor Millington (C), Alex Cherera (Elliott Hughes, 64), Liam Morris (Danny McKenna, 85), Lewis Buckley (Tom Croughan, 59), Sam Burns, Jesse Dowling (Harry McGee, 68)
Sub not used: Jordan Barrow
Goals: Buckley (17), Burns (37, 49, 78)
Attendance: 442