Words by Liam Price, photo by Jonathan White
Nantwich Town are out of the Cheshire Senior Cup after Witton scored an 85th minute winner to win 2-1 at the Swansway Stadium.
Akiel Raffie made his first start since returning to Nantwich, with Callum Saunders in a Nantwich squad for the first time since September after a long spell out with a knee injury.
Taylor Kennerley had the first effort of the game, running into the box and hitting straight at Danny Roberts from the left side.
It quickly became clear that the Dabbers weren’t at the level of the last few games, with cheap concessions of possession left, right and centre.
Kingsley Williams was the beneficiary of one of these loose passes, finding Connor Hughes on the right but his cross was easy for Roberts.
On 25 minutes, Witton took advantage of Nantwich’s slackness with the opening goal. Nathan Okome was too easily dispossessed by a Witton player, and played in Hughes for a very easy finish about 6 yards out, his 8th goal of the season in all competitions.
Connor Heath couldn’t get on the end of a Sean Cooke attempted through ball, before Roberts had to come off his line as another pass bisected the Nantwich backline.
It was easy again in the last 5 minutes of the half as a 1-2 took out several statuesque Nantwich defenders to get in behind again, luckily they were unable to make anything of it from the right wing.
A big response was needed, the Dabbers’ recent momentum was started by the big win over Runcorn in the previous round and it was in danger of being stalled here.
Respond the Dabbers did. 6 minutes into the second half Mo Ali flicked a header in off the far post to equalise. Steven Hewitt’s remarkable run of assisting continued with another exceptional free kick delivery. While the metrics to measure things like assists may not be as scientific here as they are in the Premier League, by the club’s measure that is the 16th goal he has set up this season. For comparison, the current top assister in the Premier League has 7.
Perry Bircumshaw fired across the face of goal as an improved Dabbers looked to turn the game on its head. Then, Nathan Okome found himself in the box and did brilliantly to turn his man but the ball somewhat bounced off Byron Harrison rather than him getting a shot away and Martin gratefully fell on the ball.
Sub Connor Rankin flicked a header over the bar, before a better chance for him came courtesy of a fine whipped cross from Troy Bourne. Rankin get under it and it looped over the bar.
Kennerley was threatening again and zipped a cross beyond everyone waiting in the box.
Witton carried a danger whenever they went forward, even though it was happening much less in the second half. And they came as close as its possible to come as we headed into the last 10 minutes. Lee Jackson off the bench smashed one off the post and then it was carnage, another shot was blocked and the third was held by Roberts.
The Dabbers had escaped, but not for long. Kennerley was part of a 2v1 overload on the Dabbers right hand side, affording him the space when he got the ball back to fire in across Roberts.
Martin at the other end had to make a decent save from a Nantwich volley but time was up for the Dabbers in the Cheshire Cup, as Witton got their revenge for the heavy league defeat inflicted on them by Nantwich 7 days prior.
The next home games are against York in the FA Trophy on the 9th, then Widnes in the league on Tuesday 12th at 7.45pm.
Teams
Nantwich Town: Danny Roberts, Troy Bourne, Perry Bircumshaw (Tyler Hill, 82), Paddy Kay, Nathan Okome (Scott Butler, 62), Mo Ali, Akiel Raffie, Steven Hewitt, Byron Harrison (Callum Saunders, 82), Sean Cooke (Connor Rankin, 62), Connor Heath
Sub not used: James Speare
Goal: M.Ali (51)
Witton Albion: Ollie Martin, Mike Koral, Taylor Kennerley, Oliver Hitchcox, Tom Hoyle, Cameron Fogerty, James Lawrie, Kinglsey Williams, Connor Hughes, Joe Mwasile (Lee Jackson, 57), Elliot Rokka (Oli Roberts, 62)
Sub not used: John Pritchard
Goals: Hughes (25), Kennerley (85)
Attendance: 194