By Lewie Tilley, photos by Jonathan White
A superb second-half performance equalled the Dabbers record win for the season with a 6-1 win vs Sporting Khalsa.
A hat-trick from Byron Harrison, a brace from Alex Panter and a goal from Joel Connolly, who was also celebrating his 100th Nantwich appearance, topped off a fantastic performance in the hunt for 8th place.
Nantwich came into this game off the back of a 2-0 away win vs Shifnal Town in a rearranged fixture, with the day’s opponents, Sporting Khalsa, losing 4-1 to Vauxhall Motors at home.
However, it was the visitors who almost took the lead around twenty minutes into the half, as Rahis Nabi’s effort from the edge of the box struck the post, with the visitors having a much better start to the game.
The Dabbers then began to take some more control in the game and could’ve taken the lead. Alex Panter broke down the right wing after Mikkel Hurst misjudged a header, but his low shot was saved well by Brandon Ganley.
The Nantwich pressure finally paid off when Harrison opened the scoring after Panter flicked an inside pass from Aidy Roxburgh towards the striker, whose deflected effort beat Ganley, making it 1-0.
Joel Connolly doubled the Dabbers’ lead just four minutes later as the captain latched onto a long ball that was flicked on by Panter, composed himself, and superbly chipped into the bottom left corner.
Panter should’ve had his own goal to celebrate as he pounced on a loose back pass from Kieron Whittaker, but the man in red hot form couldn’t convert, missing the target completely from inside the box.
Harrison added his second for the day early in the second half after Byron Moore did brilliantly on the left wing to beat his man and cross, which was flicked into the back of the net at the near post by Harrison.
Harrison then had the chance to secure his hat-trick ten minutes later after the ball was put on a plate for him by substitute James Baillie, but the striker’s side-footed shot agonisingly went wide.
Nantwich added a fourth and almost certainly put the game to bed as Panter, who was deserving of a goal, won the ball back on the edge of the box, drove into the open space in the box and rifled a strike into the bottom corner.
Sporting Khalsa then grabbed a late consolation goal as Chay Tilt unleashed a wonderful strike that flew into the top right corner, beating the outstretched Ben Garratt in goal, making it 4-1.
In the last minute of the ninety, Harrison secured his hat-trick when a free kick on the right wing, whipped in by Baillie, bounced into the air before being smashed home for Nantwich’s fifth and Harrison’s third.
The Dabbers weren’t done there, Panter, who could’ve had a hat-trick himself, scored his brace when he found himself free in the box and attacked the corner, adding another to his sensational season.
With this their sixteenth win of the season, the Dabbers now find themselves in 9th place in the table with a game in hand over Chasetown, who are currently in eighth place.
Luke Goddard’s men will take on Mossley at Seel Park on Good Friday (April 3rd) before a quick turnaround sees them play Witton Albion back at the Swansway Stadium on Easter Monday (6th April) at 3pm.
Teams
Nantwich Town: Ben Garratt, Aidy Roxburgh (Joe Robbins, 59), Perry Bircumshaw (James Baillie, 46), Kelvin Mellor, Ben Hockenhull (Adam Rooney, 59), Paddy Kennedy, Byron Moore, Joel Connolly (C) (Joe Collins, 59), Byron Harrison, Fenton Green (Joe Piggott, 59), Alex Panter
Goals: Harrison (37, 51, 90+1), Connolly (41), Panter (67, 90+3)
Sporting Khalsa: Brandon Ganley, Rio Sawyers, Mikkel Hirst, Zach Kourouanni, Dominic Perkins (C), Kartell Dawkins (Daniel Broni-Phillips, 78), Chay Tilt, Kieron Whittaker, Luke Shearer (Isai Marsella, 58), Rahis Nabi, Daniel Gyasi (Sam Fitzgerald, 68)
Subs not used: R’avan Constable, Kristian Green
Goal: Tilt (86)
Attendance: 286