Nantwich Town 0
Quorn 2
League (NPL Division 1 South)

Match Report

Saturday 18th August.2007. Attendance.602.

NANTWICH TOWN 0 v Quorn 2
Richard Smith (OG) 32. Brett Darby. 63.

Nantwich Town: Rob Hackney. Paul Donnelly. Paul Taylor. Richard Smith. Ryan Dicker. Nick Lingford. Wayne Teague. Glyn Blackhurst. Andy Kinsey. Pavel Suhaj. Danny Griggs.
Substitutes: Andy Bott. Ashley Carter. Danny Smith.

Absent: Phil Parkinson. Midfielder.(2 match suspension carried over from last season).
Gyorgy Kiss. Defender / Midfielder. (Hamstring)
Adam Beasley. Midfielder. (Hamstring damaged during final training session on Thursday).
Mark Fitton. Defender (Broken tibia.Right leg).
Matt Blake. ( Recovering from knee operation).

The eagerly awaited opening game, in the newly created UniBond League First Division at the recently completed £4 million Weaver Stadium, commenced under heavy skies but, the match was blessed with a very healthy attendance of 602 spectators, the vast majority arriving from within the locality.

Despite a Danny Griggs 20 yard angled strike narrowly missing the target in the 1st minute Quorn responded quickly by winning consecutive corners two minutes later. For Nantwich, Slovakian signing Pavel Suhaj, for whom Crewe Alexander paid a reported £100,000 two seasons ago, his on target shot from the edge of the box in the 4th minute lacked sufficient power to trouble Quorn custodian Daniel Haystead. ‘Dabbers’ midfielder Glyn Blackhurst powered a 15 yard downward header in the 13th minute that Haystead tipped over for a corner whilst a minute later Suhaj was denied an opportunity when a Blackhurst cross spun away from the tall striker.There was no lack of movement from Nantwich but, the crisp passing that has become a hallmark of the home side over the past three seasons in particular, was noticeably absent, with opportunities going astray through a combination of poor passing and ill timing. However, despite these frailties, Nantwich continued to work at creating an opener and went close in the 16th minute when Kinsey turned the ball back in to the box to set up Blackhurst who was unlucky to witness his volley whistle narrowly over the bar from the right hand edge of the box. On 20 minutes Kinsey set up Wayne Teague, the former Manchester United trainee unlucky to see his well struck ground shot fall narrowly wide of the right hand post. Meanwhile, Quorn striker Sidhu foraged down the ‘Dabbers’ left from just over the halfway line before winning a corner. From the incoming flag kick, Rob Hackney somehow managed to effect a clearance with the heel of his right boot just as the ball looked to be creeping over the line. Disappointingly, Quorn went ahead in the 32nd minute when a low drive by midfielder Paul White from close to the left corner flag struck the unfortunate Richard Smith, stationed at the near post, who could only stand and watch as the ball cannoned off him into the roof of the net.The set back affected ‘The Dabbers’ and for the remainder of the half were kept busy holding down Quorn whose tails were up after the goal, but didn’t really pose any great threat despite having more of the possession.

Nantwich were placed on the defensive almost from the start of the second half and the home side were grateful to central defender Smith for holding off the threat of tricky striker Sidhu in the 49th minute. Quorn mobility placed the home side further on the defensive as the match headed for the hour mark whilst a visitors change in attack brought about the 2nd goal when substitute Brett Darby took advantage of a static home defence to score from just outside the box within 3 minutes of introduction. Suhaj made way for Andy Bott in the 67th minute to partner Andy Kinsey in attack, but with the Quorn back four plus a midfielder making it five against two in defence,the ‘Dabbers’ front pairing found it hard work to get any change out of their visitors. However, Nantwich midfielder Wayne Teague did manage to test Haystead with a well placed low shot in the 73rd minute that the Quorn custodian just managed to hold whilst a minute later central defender Ryan Dicker headed just wide of the target from close range.Ten minutes from normal time Smith played a positive ball from just inside his own half aimed for Bott lurking close to the right hand side of goal, but Haystead was quickly off his line to deny the substitute striker .Meanwhile,the dangerous Sidhu grazed the bar with a close range angled strike whilst the same player wasted a golden opportunity in the dying seconds by blasting high over the bar from similar distance.

Nantwich head coach Steve Davis reflected: “ We didn’t play too badly in the first half, creating several opportunities but, we didn’t take them. In the second half we were poor for the most part and in attack we rarely threatened. Fitness in some cases are below acceptable levels and clearly there is a lot of work to do in order that we become competitive week in, week out. The disappointment of losing was hard enough, but was made worse by the fact we were playing our opening competitive game in a new league and in front of an excellent crowd”.

Match report written by Phil Johnson