By Liam Price
Nantwich Town were defeated for the first time this season after being beaten 1-0 by Sporting Khalsa in the PitchingIn NPL West at the Guardian Warehousing Arena.
The Dabbers were unchanged completely from the FA Cup win over Charnock Richard at the weekend, right down to the substitutes.
Before the game, there was a heartwarming moment as Nantwich supporter Paul Dean (centre of picture in blue Nantwich shirt) was invited, as the idea of staff from both sides, to be photographed with both teams after completing a mammoth 46 mile run from Nantwich’s Swansway Stadium to Sporting Khalsa’s ground in the Midlands, to raise money for Cancer Research UK. It was a journey that took him over 9 hours, and at the time of writing he’s raised over £430. To help him towards his £500 target, you can still donate HERE.
The first shot of the game came from Callum Saunders but his low shot was easily claimed by Ravan Constable.
Alex Panter fired over the bar while stretching, before Ben Garratt pushed away a corner under significant pressure.
Chay Tilt struck a free kick straight at the Dabbers keeper, who was on hand again to make a simple save that probably shouldn’t have been that simple after the ball was given away and the player shot too early.
Then came the first of three refereeing calls that Jon Moran bemoaned after the match. Perry Bircumshaw clipped the ball through to Panter who’d curved his run and went on to score. The offside flag denied him, however, which was wrong as replays clearly show him behind Justice Campbell when the ball was played. The one thing that can’t be predicted is if the move would have progressed exactly the same if the flag hadn’t gone up and the defenders stopped, but it was unquestionably the wrong call.
Gurjit Singh broke into the box but Garratt was out to close the angle and make the save. But Khalsa were raising the pressure.
There was a scramble from the ensuing corner, then a quick shot was just over the crossbar.
Tilt could have had a tilt at goal once more but took too many touches and saw his chance disappear. It had been Khalsa’s half, largely because of their tremendous energy almost from kick off.
The home side took the lead 7 minutes into the second period. A simple 1-2 down the left gave Campbell an opening and he squared it to Andre Carvalho-Landell who had the easiest of tasks to score from close range. His movement was too much for Paddy Kennedy and really made the goal.
Having got his first of the season after 19 last campaign, Landell was well up for it now and fired an ambitious half volley narrowly wide.
Sporting Khalsa narrowly cleared the crossbar again with an effort after again the Dabbers were guilty of giving it away at the back. Having already beaten Congleton and causing Nantwich many issues, Khalsa are really challenging the common perception at this level that the NPL Midlands (the league Khalsa were shifted sideways from) is weaker than the NPL West.
The second call that Nantwich questioned came in the 64th minute. Joel Connolly broke into the box and was challenged by Kristian Green, with appeals for a penalty waved away. The footage does show Green catching the back of Connolly’s leg when trying to challenge for the ball. It was the most subjective of the decisions that Moran had an issue with afterwards.
Tilt once more missed the target with an effort in the 71st minute, then sub Ben Greenop couldn’t steer a header on target at the other end.
Byron Harrison finally forced Constable into some more action in saving at his near post. Khalsa’s exceptional running, pressing and harrying meant they were now starting to tire and the Dabbers with their subs were now pushing hard.
Byron Moore had a huge chance inside the last 10 minutes, seeing a ball bounce his way in the box and his effort was wonderfully pushed away by Constable. It was the best thing a Constable had done with his hands since John painted The Hay Wain.
Garratt nearly had a horror moment in the last 6 minutes. In trying to take a quick short goal kick he saw it intercepted by Taylor Townsend, who scored a hat trick in his last match. Thankfully for the Dabbers and himself, Garratt saved Townsend’s shot.
The last controversial incident came in the 88th minute. Sub Rui Clarke-Phillips broke down the right and was cynically scythed down by Townsend, who was booked. The question was whether it should have been red. The challenge was not quite as high as Moran suggested afterwards but Clarke-Phillips was travelling at speed and Townsend was nowhere near the ball. The wider issue here is that the default for this kind of tactical foul seems to be a yellow regardless of how bad the challenge is. The Khalsa bench’s immediate reaction, and Townsend being subbed straight away, suggests they felt they’d got away with one.
Nantwich regained their heads quickly and should have equalised in stoppage time. Clarke-Phillips got to the byline and put the ball across the face of goal but a Khalsa defender, facing his own goal, did very well to head behind for a corner.
Then the biggest chance of all. A long throw bounced the way of Harrison who, falling backwards, fired agonisingly over the bar.
Garratt made one more great save in the last seconds but it was Khalsa’s night. They may not beat you with quality but they will beat you with energy and more teams will find that this season. For the Dabbers, a return to that maxim that is regularly and correctly spoken about this league: anyone can beat anyone.
Teams
Sporting Khalsa: Ravan Constable, Kristian Green (C), Justice Campbell, Narel Phillips, Zacharias Kourouiyanni, Kartel Dawkins, Chay Tilt (Stan Asomugha, 82), Kieron Whittaker, Andre Carvalho-Landell (Prince Henry, 73), Gurjit Singh (Bradley Burgess, 76), Taylor Townsend (Corey Cooper, 89)
Sub not used: David Kalonji
Goal: Carvalho-Landell (53)
Nantwich Town: Ben Garratt, Josh Williams, Perry Bircumshaw, Kelvin Mellor (C), Ben Hockenhull, Paddy Kennedy, Alex Panter (Ben Greenop, 58), Fenton Green (Rui Clarke-Phillips, 81), Byron Harrison, Joel Connolly (Joe Robbins, 86), Callum Saunders (Byron Moore, 58)
Sub not used: Daniel Apantaku