Dabbers beaten at Matlock

NANTWICH Town’s spirited performance away at Matlock Town in the Evo-stik Northern Premier League was not enough to take a point on Saturday.

Steve Jones netted for the Dabbers with 20 minutes remaining after they had conceded twice in the first half.

New signing Elliot Osborne started, while Cliff Moyo picked up an injury in the win over Halesowen and was replaced by Shaun Dowling in the team.

Moyo joined new signing’s George Mannion and Grant Hartley on the bench.

The first real incident of the game was when Mark Jones went to play the ball on three minutes as he played the ball the Matlock man caught the Dabbers captain meaning he needed attention.

Nantwich started to get in the game and on seven minutes won a corner. But the Gladiators were able to clear.

Matlock’s first chance came when Jamie McDonagh got a shot away after a cross in hit Andy White’s back. The effort sailed well wide of Smith’s goal.

White then went on a storming run down the left wing getting his cross in for Kosylo but as he tried to keep the ball in as it ran towards the corner flag, he gave away possession.

Harrop had an effort from a free kick after Kosylo was brought down but his effort from an acute angle went over the bar.

On 24 minutes Otis Kahn was brought down just outside the area by Ben Harrison as he tried to get away to get a shot in, which he struck into the back of Smith’s net.

Nantwich responded well with Harrop forcing Kennedy into a good save. But the linesmen flag was up for offside preventing a Nantwich chance of a follow up.

Matlock thought they were 2-0 up. When a free kick was headed in by Meade unmarked at the far post. But for the second time in a matter of minutes the flag was up for offside.

Nantwich then picked up two bookings in a minute with Harrop and Kosylo entering in the book for mindless things.

In the final minute of the half Kennedy hit a ball against the back of Kosylo and it went out for a throw in as Nantwich tried to find a way back into the game.

It was 2-0 to the hosts in the first minute of injury time when their man beat Dowling and McDonagh fired home from close range.

As the interval approached Sean Cooke almost got one back when he volleyed from the edge of the area. But Kennedy pushed it away from a corner.

At half time Nantwich had to make a change when Mark Jones couldn’t continue due to the earlier injury that he had picked up and was replaced by Steve Jones.

And the sub was an instant goal scorer. When a cross in found him, but the covering defender was able to clear for a corner.

Just two minutes into the second half and White had to be on hand to stop McDonagh from getting a shot on goal as he broke into the area.

Harry Clayton was close to pulling one back when Kosylo picked the ball up off Steve Jones as the Gladiators tried to foul him.

The former Crewe youngster had another chance to score on 53 minutes. When he cut inside. But his shot was tame enough for Kennedy to drop onto.

There was some concern for White on 53 minutes, when he collided heads with a Matlock player as he went for the ball. But he managed to get himself up and continue.

The hosts looked for a third and Ben Harrison had to make an inch perfect tackle when Danny Frost broke through in on goal.

Nantwich were briefly down to 10 men with Dowling receiving treatment for a bloodied nose, the Gladiators tried to take advantage and Khan broke through and smashed a shot high over Smith’s bar.

On 71 minutes Steve Jones got one back for Nantwich when a low cross found the former Northern Ireland man who stroke him following good play from Cooke and Clayton to drag the Dabbers back in the game.

Winslade was almost a Dabbers hero when Harrop played him in but the forward’s shot was agonizingly inches wide of going in Kennedy’s post.

Nantwich upped the anti in the final few minutes as moments later a defensive mis-clearance from Banton found White. His cross was too strong for the men at the back stick and it ran out for a goalkick.

As the match entered the final minute it was the host’s who had the upper hand as they won a couple of corners trying to keep the ball in the corner and see out the match.

As the game entered five minutes of injury time Nantwich threw everything for a second goal. But the Matlock defense wasn’t for breaking open.

In the final minute of injury time Harrop was shown a straight red for an off the ball incident. It was a battling performance from the Dabbers. But they ultimately returned to South Cheshire with no points. They will be hoping to return to Cheshire next Saturday when they visit Frickley Athletic.

Nantwich Town: Smith, Dowling, Bailey, Harrison, M.Jones (S.Jones 46), Cooke, Osborne, Clayton, Harrop and Kosylo (Winslade 69). Subs not used: Mannion, Moyo and Hartley.