By Liam Donaldson, photos by Jonathan White
Nantwich Town continue their impressive unbeaten run with an away goalless battle against promotion candidates Runcorn Linnets.
The Dabbers named an unchanged squad after the recent win over Mossley with new Portugese signing Giovanni Loureiro named as a substitute. The condition of the pitch wasn’t perfect due to some patchy areas in certain areas of the field after recent terrible weather, which continued at times during the game.
Nantwich Town were awarded a corner in the opening minutes of the game with towering centre half Courtney Meppen-Walters heading his effort straight at Runcorn Linnets goalkeeper Bayleigh Passant.
Runcorn started this game more comfortably as they looked to guide the ball out to their right flank, which was causing one or two issues for the Dabbers. An uncertain cross that went into the middle was sliced wildly by Meppen-Walters, but this didn’t lead to much danger.
The home side’s right back, Sam Barratt, was the first player to test either goalkeeper in this game. Ben Garratt was able to parry away the full back’s effort.
Runcorn Linnets’ striker and top scorer Oliver Molloy was able to show up dangerously only in minimal moments of the game. He drew a low cross into the penalty area which was left behind as there was no one to follow up.
Kai Evans was eager to get in behind the home side’s defence. He timed his run just too late before half time before finishing his chance comfortably into the open net. No complaints to the linesman for Paul Carden.
Runcorn started the second half on top and had big chances which they would later regret not taking. Welsh looked lively as his shot was cleared off the line and the follow up was soon missed. The midfielder had his head in his hands but it was great work from Troy Bourne.
Just minutes later, Welsh would soon strike his thirty yard effort off Ben Garrat’s right post. The rebound bounced away for a throw as the Dabbers looked to have gotten away with one.
Perry Bircumshaw was eager to get forward more confidently in the second half as this time he skipped past a couple of challenges before testing his luck from long range, which was deflected and comfortable for the Runcorn Linnets number one.
Kai Evans looked a threat in parts of the game when rode past an opposing defender with a wonderful first touch, but the cut back was soon dealt with from O’Mahoney, who was good at reading the danger throughout. Evans would then take the left sided corner that Passant struggled to deal with, his punch could’ve gone anywhere.
With minutes left on the clock, Evans found a little bit of joy towards the outer left flank with a beautiful right footed curling effort, that was inches away from securing the three points. His shot just bent around the right post of Passant’s goal, Carden admitting afterwards he and the Nantwich bench thought it was in.
But overall it goes down as a good point and another clean sheet; that’s only 9 goals conceded in 14 league games since the turn of the year. The next home game is against Hednesford Town on Monday 1st April at 3pm.
Teams
Runcorn Linnets: Bayleigh Passant, Sam Barratt, James Short, Jacques Welsh (Eden Gumbs, 86), Sean O’Mahony, Anthony Kay, Will Saxon, Joseph Thompson, Oliver Molloy (Kieran Knapper, 75), Lewis Doyle, Mackenzie O’Neill (Ryan Brooke, 46)
Subs not used: Peter Wylie, Eric Byrne
Nantwich Town: Ben Garratt, Joel Connolly, Perry Bircumshaw, Troy Bourne, Courtney Meppen-Walters, George Milner, Paddy Kay, Nathan Okome (Timi Sobowale, 82), Byron Harrison, Akiel Raffie (Callum Saunders, 62), Kai Evans
Subs not used: Sean Lawton, Giovanni Loureiro, Jon Moran
Attendance: 847