Bad day: Ossett..2 Nantwich..1

11:13am Monday 22nd September 2008

NANTWICH suffered a shock defeat at lowly Ossett The Dabbers were seeking to extend their unbeaten league and cup run to 10 games but a severe underperformance condemned them to defeat in West Yorkshire at the weekend. Meanwhile, Nantwich gave a debut to Thursday’s signing Damion Jarrett, a 21 year old Tamworth based right back who joins from Southern League Bromsgrove Rovers.

The body language of Ossett demonstrated the home side were well up for this first meeting between the clubs and after Greaves had won a 4th minute midfield ball off Robin Gibson the striker found sufficient space to fire narrowly wide of the left hand post. Nantwich were on the defensive moments later with Charlie O’Loughlin intervening just outside the 6 yard box to deny Savory. For Nantwich, Wednesday’s FA Cup hat-trick hero Dave Walker gave his side an opportunity when he tested Cockerham with an angled strike from deep left that forced the home ‘keeper to shield at the foot of a post before Gibson picked up the ball outside the area to send in a dipping shot forcing Cockerham to hold on his line.

Ossett meanwhile continued to press and were winning advantage in most areas leaving Nantwich often chasing the game. The lively Savory produced a well timed run into the box in the 12th minute before stretching to head a deep cross from Baldry narrowly over the bar before Nantwich responded through left back Dave Tickle who went close from a free kick that grazed the right angle of post and bar. On the quarter hour, Rob Hawthorne’s clearance following an Ossett corner allowed Nantwich to secure their first corner of the half but Gibson’s flag kick proved disappointing when the ball carried toward the opposite corner. But in the 19th minute Nantwich really should have taken the lead. A cross field ball from the right to the unmarked Walker allowed the well placed striker to make a run into the area drawing Cockerham in the process. However, just when it looked odds that Walker would score he pulled his shot wide of the far post spurning a great opportunity to put Nantwich in the lead.

Walker’s miss signalled a turn around with Ossett pressing once again and when Hawthorne’s poor pass from midfield was intercepted by Thornton the winger jinxed past Jarrett to test Arestidou at the near post. Ossett persistence finally made a break through when they took a 25th minute lead through Savory. Hawthorne was involved once again - this time when he lost out in a midfield tussle with the home striker whose run brushed aside the Nantwich defence to fire past Arestidou from just outside the 6 yard box. Savory was gradually becoming a thorn in the Nantwich side and after rounding left back Tickle placed a close range strike that fortunately sailed high and wide of the target, nevertheless, the threat was there.

Just after the half hour Nantwich managed to carve out a couple of chances – first through Gibson who fired wide from a great cross field ball by Jarrett followed by Carter who then placed a header wide from a Gibson centre. At the other end, Ossett winger Thornton rounded Jarrett before shooting toward the left hand post whilst Nantwich were then indebted to Jarrett after the debutant right back headed clear from inside a crowded 6 yard box when Ossett came calling again. Shortly afterwards, O’Loughlin was called into action to head clear 8 yards out and just ahead of the whistle Jarrett denied a threat from Thornton when he nipped in to clear the loose ball deep on the right.

Three minutes into the second half and Jarrett was penalised on the edge of the area followed by Thornton who rifled the resultant free kick over the bar. However, it was Jarrett who then set up Naggington when he slipped the ball in to the Nantwich striker from the edge of the box but despite Naggington’s clever turn, his low drive lacked power. The competitive Jarrett was cautioned in the 53rd minute following a foul on left back Fawcus whilst the resultant free kick was then met at the back post by Savory but, thank’s to the alert Arestidou, the ball was saved.

But Nantwich were undone for the second time – on this occasion just after the hour when Baldry floated in a left sided corner from which Savory rose from inside the 6 yard box to plant a firm header over Arestidou into the roof of the net. Hawthorne made way for Blackhurst in the 58th minute and the substitute midfielder was unfortunate to witness his close range header blocked on the line after Tickle had curled the ball into the 6 yard box. Meanwhile, Greaves powered past O’Loughlin and cut inside before clipping his shot narrowly wide of the target. On 76 minutes, Ormsby fired a 20 yard shot narrowly wide of an upright but Ossett were reduced to 10 men 12 minutes from normal time – Fawcus receiving a straight red card for a reckless high challenge on Jarrett.

In the 83rd minute, Briggs played in Greaves who then rounded Arestidou but, thanks to a well timed intervention from Darren Tinson, the dependable Nantwich central defender got back in the nick of time to hack the ball off the line. Then, a minute from normal time, Nantwich reduced the deficit to set up a tense and nervous finish. Substitute striker Liam Shotton won a free kick out on the left followed by Tickle’s curling dead ball kick being met in the 6 yard box by Blackhurst who followed in by glancing a well judged header past the flying Cockerham. Four minutes of additional time were signalled but it was too little - too late for Nantwich, who on the day looked a shadow of their normal selves.