By Liam Price
Nantwich Town scored with the last kick of the game to win 2-1 at Wythenshawe Town.
There were 4 changes from the team that lost at home to Mossley the previous weekend. Joe Bunney departed the club and new signing Ben Hockenhull came in. Troy Bourne was suspended and Callum Saunders, Matty Tweedley and Alex Panter all started.
Former Premier League and Scotland player George Boyd fired a free kick low into the wall early on for the home side.
Jacob Blyth turned and fired wide in an opening period that was lacking in any meaningful action.
The first half was extremely scrappy in truth; the biggest chance fell to Wythenshawe Town captain Luke Nock whose low shot was well saved by Ben Garratt. It came after a great run from Chinedu Uche and the save was made better by the fact that Garratt’s weight seemed to be going the opposite way to the shot.
Panter, who was at Wythenshawe Town before joining the Dabbers, fired at Greg Hall from a narrow angle on the cusp of half time.
With a dearth of chances to analyse, instead attention at the game was drawn elsewhere. It was a rare occasion to be watching the game from pitchside and between the two dugouts, and the main conclusion that was reached from this is simple: why on earth would anyone want to be a referee? From both sides came a constant chirping at every tiny perceived mistake, a tiresome drone.
Fans and players are guilty of it too, but when it comes from coaches, the ones who have the most authority, it’s blatantly obvious what the reason is: to try and influence the officials’ decisions in their teams’ favour. But referees are well aware of this too so it renders the whole thing pointless. The refs were very good today, incidentally.
The second half was mercifully much more action packed on the pitch. Kai Evans sprung into action and reached the byline with a strong run but his pullback was just turned away.
Perry Bircumshaw picked out Kelvin Mellor, who was captaining the side in Bourne’s absence, but his header was straight at former Dabbers keeper Hall.
A good opening presented itself for the home side but they dallied in taking a shot and in the end it was a lower quality chance than it might have been and was blocked away.
Hall made the best save of the game just short of the hour mark. Evans stretched his legs again and burst past a couple of defenders, cutting inside and unleashing a fierce low strike that was tipped around the post by the keeper.
Jacques Etia then came close for Wythenshawe Town, running laterally across the edge of the box before finding room for a shot that curled just wide of Garratt’s far post.
Further shots from Boyd and Nock showed how they were knocking on the Dabbers’ door, and on 68 minutes they found a way through.
A free kick was awarded when Hockenhull was adjudged to have fouled his man. Jon Moran afterwards was adamant it wasn’t a foul; what perhaps counted against Hockenhull was that he jumped for his header too early so was on the way down with his weight on the Wythenshawe player as he headed it.
Anyhow, the set piece found its way eventually to Fenton Green who fired a peach of a strike into the bottom corner to break the deadlock in great style, a brilliant blend of power and accuracy.
The Dabbers struck back almost immediately. A corner was blasted in from close range by Hockenhull to level it up. Talk about a change in fortunes for a player, and so quickly too. Last weekend’s immediate concession of the second goal against Mossley after equalising was fresh and painful in Dabbers minds so to do the opposite this time was a perfect response.
A couple more half chances came and went, Mellor heading over the bar and a real lash from Evans straight down the throat of Hall.
As we ticked closer to 90 minutes the Dabbers had a good opportunity on the counter, a smart combination between Evans and Tom Pratt ended with Pratt poking towards goal but Hall again did enough to divert it into the side netting.
Speaking of the side netting, that’s what Uche hit with a free kick right on 90 minutes, deceiving everyone as it looked like Boyd was set to hit it with his left foot.
It really did look like it was going to end all square until the very last minute. A hopeful ball was floated in from the wing and an untidy scramble ended when Byron Harrison forced it over the line to win it for the visitors and spark jubilant scenes with the Nantwich supporters behind that goal.
The Dabbers had been on the wrong side of so many bitty games like this one in recent months (think Mossley twice, Stafford away, Trafford away) so were surely due one to swing their way, that this one did with the very last action of the game made it perhaps even sweeter.
Teams
Wythenshawe Town: Greg Hall, Jordan Carroll, Matthew Liptrott, Jack Grundy, Emmanuel Omorogbe, Fenton Green, Chinedu Uche, Luke Nock (C), Jacob Blyth (Domaine Rouse, 84), George Boyd, Jacques Etia (Kieron Molloy, 77)
Subs not used: Trey Turner, Owen Hesketh, Sajjad Elhassan
Goal: Green (68)
Nantwich Town: Ben Garratt, James Melhado, Perry Bircumshaw, Kelvin Mellor (C), Ben Hockenhull, Matty Tweedley, Callum Saunders (Kofi Moore, 59), Tom Pratt, Byron Harrison, Alex Panter (Joe Robbins, 71), Kai Evans
Subs not used: Joel Connolly, Reece Vaughan, Darren Thornton
Goals: Hockenhull (69), Harrison (90+4)
Attendance: 305
