By Liam Price, from notes by Isaac Knight
Nantwich Town were dealt a heavy late blow to lose 2-1 to Trafford FC at Shawe View.
Before the game, the Dabbers were boosted by the return of Troy Bourne, Callum Saunders and Daz Thornton from suspension, and Kofi Moore from illness. However, two blows came in the warm up as Moore pulled up and had to be replaced by Nathan Sandison. Paddy Kennedy, already carrying a knock from training, then could not make the bench after the warm up.
Kelvin Mellor was starting on his birthday, and won a foul early on in what has been a less familiar position for him this season of centre back.
James Melhado got a bit of joy down the right on a couple of occasions early on, but couldn’t quite pick out a Nantwich body with his final ball.
The first real shot came from the right foot of Rio Clegg, Trafford’s top scorer who was back from a suspension of his own. It was easy to see why he was their top scorer as most of their play went through him. That shot was not far wide but was covered by Ben Garratt.
Mellor volleyed an effort off a Trafford defender at the other end, before Clegg dragged a decent opportunity wide after rolling his man.
The low sun was causing a lot of issues with visibility in the first half, with the Dabbers playing into it. That can be the only explanation for some of the refereeing decisions in that period. Questionable offsides, free kicks being given the opposite way to what the offence looked like (affecting both teams), they were all there.
Garratt then made a simple enough save from Clegg. Byron Harrison tested Sam Booth (brother of former Dabber Tom) in the other box with a snapshot that was on target.
Dabbers number 9 Alex Panter was growing into the game, a couple of efforts either parried or blocked a sign of his influence.
A better chance came when Trafford conceded possession high up, Sandison intercepted but his touch was a little heavy and Panter was eventually well tackled before he could get his shot away.
Panter was even closer on 39 minutes, firing over the bar after an initial ball into the box from Joe Bunney, he was leaning back as he hit it but it was still a presentable opportunity.
A couple more shots that didn’t trouble the Nantwich goal ended the first half. The second period was a lot more lively.
Evans saw a free kick held comfortably by Booth, before the deadlock was broken on 52 minutes.
A Trafford corner was not cleared sufficiently, a shank of a second cross looped into the box by Brad Byrne was allowed to bounce and left back Ryley Smith hooked it in over his own shoulder. It was a hideous goal for Nantwich to concede as there were so many chances to stop it.
The response, though, was sharp and immediate from the Dabbers, and they equalised just 3 minutes later. It has to be said that the free kick that led to the goal was at best debatable. However, it was then the home side’s turn to not defend a set piece properly. Joe Robbins clipped the ball to the back post, the first header dropped right into the path of Panter who took one touch and slammed it in for both his first goal for Nantwich and his first goal at this level of football, having been playing in the Cheshire League this time last year.
The momentum had firmly swung the Dabbers’ way but they could not capitalise when a chance presented itself to Evans. Trafford again gave the ball away in a dangerous position, this time in their own box, but when it was slid across to Evans he could only slice wide off his weaker foot.
Perhaps surprisingly, the dangerous Clegg was then substituted for Trafford; the press box literally shook as he slammed the home dressing room door in frustration at that decision.
Panter almost burst through moments later but again a fine challenge denied him.
Another big moment came just a minute after this as Bunney cleared brilliantly off the line after Trafford made an interception of their own high up the pitch and directed an effort towards goal.
A Harrison cross was pushed behind by Booth as the most open part of the game continued.
Byrne pulled a shot wide from outside the box as both sides tried to push to take the lead.
The offside flag stopped a move that did eventually end in a Dabbers goal. A few minutes later came the latest twist in the game.
On 79 minutes, Trafford were awarded a free kick on their left hand side. For some reason, the Trafford goalscorer Smith decided to kick out at a Dabbers player while being on the floor himself, akin to Beckham on Simeone in 1998. A scuffle ensued, and the referee had no choice but to show Smith a straight red card. He was already on a booking anyway so would have been off either way.
Nantwich have struggled to play against 10 men before, and they did again here. There were openings, Panter dragging a shot wide and Matty Tweedley just slicing one away from the far post from the edge of the box.
But on the whole there was a lack of patience and game intelligence that it takes to pick apart a team with 10 men. And to add insult to injury, the home side struck 4 minutes from time.
It was the subs who made the difference, Hilal Khan’s double deflected effort was turned in by Cian Donohue, it did go through Garratt to some extent but it was a collective failure to defend their own penalty area by the Dabbers again that did the damage.
Evans pulled a shot wide in the last minute of added time as the Dabbers this time couldn’t respond.
1 win in 6, no win in 7 away games and no clean sheet in 9 are the headline figures for Nantwich. They’ve also conceded the first goal in 7 of the last 9 games; constantly having to play catch up is never good. Last season against Trafford was a 2-1 defeat away and a 4-0 win at home. This season it was a 6-0 win at home but another 2-1 defeat away. It’s a funny old game.
Teams
Trafford FC: Sam Booth, Sean Higgins, Ryley Smith, Jordan Fagbola, Harry Norris (C), Jack Higginbottom, Matty Morgan (Cian Donohue, 67), Brad Byrne (Toba Obitayo, 89), Rio Clegg (Hilal Khan, 67), Jerome Wright, Kevin Spinelli
Subs not used: Kanye Nisbett, Josh Wood
Goals: Smith (52), Donohue (86)
Red card: Smith (79)
Nantwich Town: Ben Garratt, James Melhado, Joe Bunney, Joe Robbins (Perry Bircumshaw, 88), Kelvin Mellor, Troy Bourne (C), Nathan Sandison (Tom Pratt, 60), Matty Tweedley, Alex Panter, Byron Harrison (Callum Saunders, 72), Kai Evans
Subs not used: Daz Thornton, Eric Merner
Goal: Panter (55)
Attendance: 387