By Liam Price
Nantwich Town overcame a first half red card to beat Ossett United 3-1 and progress in the FA Trophy.
On a pleasant day in South Yorkshire, and Nantwich’s first trip to this stadium in 14 years, Perry Bircumshaw and Byron Moore both got starts after making brilliant impacts off the bench in the FA Cup against Avro in midweek. Kelvin Mellor missed out with a knock.
Luca Bolini sent a cross onto the roof of the net early on for the home side.
Perry Bircumshaw gave the Dabbers the lead in the 8th minute. He tapped the ball past his man before finishing low past the Ossett goalkeeper Aleks Petrovic, continuing his great form from Tuesday.
Ossett tried to hit back but could only hit the side netting with a Ben Tweed free kick.
Paddy Kennedy made a strong block and Bircumshaw tracked back well in two good defensive moments.
The in-form Moore doubled the lead in the 23rd minute, capitalising on a mix up at the back to make it 3 goals in 2 games for him with another low finish.
There was a blow shortly after when Fenton Green was forced off with injury, Alex Panter coming on to replace him.
Ossett’s best chance yet came when they struck the post on the half hour, with Ben Garratt falling on the ball shortly after. The Nantwich bench were very unhappy with a potential foul in the build up.
They were even more unhappy shortly after. Ben Hockenhull was booked for what appeared a tactical foul in the 37th minute.
Then in the 41st minute, a challenge in the middle saw Hockenhull go down. The referee got his yellow card out again, then after checking his shirt realised it was the same player and had to send him off. Footage showed that the decision of simulation was very harsh at best.
The home side halved the deficit moments later. As Nantwich tried to reorganise, a low free kick was turned in by Callum Petch. The game was now in danger of being turned on its head.
But it was hard to tell the man disadvantage in the second half. An excellent collective effort limited the home side to few real chances.
In fact, it was the Dabbers who struck again in the 55th minute.
Panter spectacularly restored the 2-goal lead with a superb curling finish in off the post. It was a goal worthy of deciding any game.
Petch hit the side netting again as a shellshocked Ossett tried to rescue what seemed to be an advantageous position that had quickly got away from them.
Ben Garratt made a low sweep with his hand in the box to stop a promising Ossett counter.
Joel Connolly curled straight at Petrovic, before sub Callum Saunders squandered a strong chance when sliding a low shot beyond the far post from inside the box.
A brilliant point-blank save by Garratt was the closest Ossett came to reducing the deficit.
Saunders tried a Ronaldo-style knuckleball style free kick that slid wide, and that was that. Probably the best all round team performance of the season had seen the Dabbers through.
Teams
Ossett United: Aleks Petrovic, Sam Walters (Alfie Proctor, 55), Josh Askew (C) (Tyler Polwarth, 63), Connor Qualter, Will Thompson, Sam Pashley, Luca Bolino (Jacob Johnson, 70), Rhys Thomas (Dexter Ball, 75), Joe Crosby, Ben Tweed, Callum Petch (Dylan Helliwell, 86)
Goal: Petch (42)
Nantwich Town: Ben Garratt, Aidy Roxburgh, Perry Bircumshaw, Paddy Kennedy, Ben Hockenhull, Josh Williams, Joel Connolly (C), Fenton Green (Alex Panter, 25), Byron Harrison (Paddy Jarrett, 77), Joe Robbins, Byron Moore (Callum Saunders, 61)
Sub not used: Jon Moran
Goals: Bircumshaw (8), Moore (23), Panter (55)