Nantwich Town 1
Stocksbridge Park Steels 0
League (NPL Premier Division)

Match Report

Most of the attention in this game went to the officials, with nine bookings and two sendings off taking the gloss off a solid performance from Nantwich Town at the Weaver Stadium.
Stocksbridge Park Steels lost Striker Mark Ward and the Dabbers lost Aleksandrs Solovjovs as the South Cheshire side took all three points with a 1-0 victory.
Nantwich started the brighter of the two sides and could have taken the lead on six minutes when Sean Cooke saw his free-kick tipped over the bar by Ben Scott in the Steels goal.
The Dabbers thought they had taken the lead shortly after as Mat Bailey headed home Sean Cooke’s free-kick but the centre back was adjudged to have been offside by the assistant referee.
Another controversial moment followed when Michael Lennon was sent clear by Fraser McLachlan and he took the ball round Scott outside the area only to be brought down by the Steels goalkeeper, referee Matthew Corlett only pulled out a yellow card much to the dismay of the Nantwich fans and players.
The Yorkshire side could have taken the lead themselves on 27 minutes as Mickey Blythen forced a sharp save from Jonathan Brain.
The game’s first sending off came on the half hour mark when Ward kicked out at Solovjovs in an off the ball incident leaving Corlett with no choice but to dismiss him.
Scott was in action again just before the hour mark as Ben Mills firstly had his shot from 18 yards saved and then his follow up pushed wide by the ex- Hereford man.
Nantwich then lost their left back Solovjovs for a second bookable offence as he was adjudged to have pulled down Stocksbridge captain Matt Telling.
The Dabbers finally got their goal on 66 minutes as Michael Lennon flicked the ball on for Mills who’s right footed drive went through Scott into the bottom left hand corner for his eighth goal of the season.
Steels never looked like equalising and only Richard Haigh’s tame header threatened Brain in the Nantwich goal.
DABBERS MAN OF THE MATCH: Fraser McLachlan (The Dabbers latest signing made plenty of interceptions in the centre of the park, he passed the ball well and created a few good openings for Lennon and Mills.)
Nantwich: Brain, Lowe, Solovjovs, Maguire (Jack, 57), M. Bailey, Moss, Cooke (Hendricks-Hamilton, 85), Flynn ©, Mills, Lennon (JJ Bailey, 72), McLachlan. Subs not used: Adaggio, Prince
Stocksbridge Park Steels: Scott, Lloyd, Davies, Haigh, J. Riordan (Stirrup, 45), D. Riordan, Tansley, Telling ©, Muldoon, Ward, Blythen (Adam, 71). Subs not used: Williams, Darlow, Schofield
Referee: Matthew Corlett
Assistants: Philip Howard and Neil Badger

Match report written by Callum White